Using ab initio calculations we demonstrate that extra electrons in pure amorphous SiO2 can be trapped in deep band gap states. Classical potentials were used to generate amorphous silica models and density functional theory to characterize the geometrical and electronic structures of trapped electrons. Extra electrons can trap spontaneously on pre-existing structural precursors in amorphous SiO2 and produce ≈ 3.2 eV deep states in the band gap. These precursors comprise wide (≥132 • ) O-Si-O angles and elongated Si-O bonds at the tails of corresponding distributions. The electron trapping in amorphous silica structure results in an opening of the O-Si-O angle (up to almost 180 • ). We estimate the concentration of these electron trapping sites to be ≈ 4 × 10 19 cm −3 . The structure of these centers is similar to that of Ge and Li electron centers in α-quartz.

Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations we demonstrate how electron injection can facilitate the creation of Frenkel defects in amorphous (a)-SiO. The precursor sites composed of wide O-Si-O bond angles in amorphous SiO act as deep electron traps and can accommodate up to two extra electrons. Trapping of two electrons at these intrinsic sites results in weakening of a Si-O bond and creates an efficient bond breaking pathway for producing neutral O vacancies and [Formula: see text] interstitial ions characterized by low transition barriers. The low barriers for the migration of [Formula: see text] ions of about 0.2 eV facilitate the separation of created defects. This mechanism may have important implications for our understanding of dielectric breakdown and resistance switching in a-SiO based electronic and memory devices.

We review the current understanding of intrinsic electron and hole trapping in insulating amorphous oxide films on semiconductor and metal substrates. The experimental and theoretical evidences are provided for the existence of intrinsic deep electron and hole trap states stemming from the disorder of amorphous metal oxide networks. We start from presenting the results for amorphous (a) HfO, chosen due to the availability of highest purity amorphous films, which is vital for studying their intrinsic electronic properties. Exhaustive photo-depopulation spectroscopy measurements and theoretical calculations using density functional theory shed light on the atomic nature of electronic gap states responsible for deep electron trapping observed in a-HfO. We review theoretical methods used for creating models of amorphous structures and electronic structure calculations of amorphous oxides and outline some of the challenges in modeling defects in amorphous materials. We then discuss theoretical models of electron polarons and bi-polarons in a-HfO and demonstrate that these intrinsic states originate from low-coordinated ions and elongated metal-oxygen bonds in the amorphous oxide network. Similarly, holes can be captured at under-coordinated O sites. We then discuss electron and hole trapping in other amorphous oxides, such as a-SiO, a-AlO, a-TiO. We propose that the presence of low-coordinated ions in amorphous oxides with electron states of significant p and d character near the conduction band minimum can lead to electron trapping and that deep hole trapping should be common to all amorphous oxides. Finally, we demonstrate that bi-electron trapping in a-HfO and a-SiO weakens Hf(Si)-O bonds and significantly reduces barriers for forming Frenkel defects, neutral O vacancies and O ions in these materials. These results should be useful for better understanding of electronic properties and structural evolution of thin amorphous films under carrier injection conditions.

It is well-established that oxide defects adversely affect functionality and reliability of a wide range of microelectronic devices. In semiconductor-insulator systems, insulator defects can capture or emit charge carriers from/to the semiconductor. These defects feature several stable configurations, which may have profound implications for the rates of the charge capture and emission processes. Recently, these complex capture/emission events have been investigated experimentally in considerable detail in Si/SiO2 devices, but their theoretical understanding still remains vague. In this paper we discuss in detail how the capture/emission processes can be simulated using the theoretical methods developed for calculating rates of charge transfer reactions between molecules and in electro-chemistry. By employing this theoretical framework we link the atomistic defect configurations to known trapping model parameters (e.g. trap levels) as well as measured capture/emission times in Si/SiO2 devices. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we investigate possible atomistic configurations for various defects in amorphous (a)-SiO2 implicated in being involved in the degradation of microelectronic devices. These include the oxygen vacancy and hydrogen bridge as well as the recently proposed hydroxyl E center. In order to capture the effects of statistical defect-to-defect variations that are inevitably present in amorphous insulators, we analyze a large ensemble of defects both experimentally and theoretically. This large-scale investigation allows us to prioritize the candidates from our defect list based on their trap parameter distributions. For example, we can rule out the E center as a possible candidate. In addition, we establish realistic ranges for the trap parameters, which are useful for model calibration and increase the credibility of simulation results by avoiding artificial solutions. Furthermore, we address the effect of nuclear tunneling, which is involved according to the theory of charge transfer reactions. Based on our DFT results, we demonstrate the impact of nuclear tunneling on the capture/emission process, including their temperature and field dependence, and also give estimates for this effect in Si/SiO2 devices.

We used density functional theory (DFT) calculations to model the interaction of hydrogen atoms and molecules with strained bonds and neutral oxygen vacancies in amorphous silica (a-SiO 2). The results demonstrate that the interaction of atomic hydrogen with strained Si-O bonds in defect-free a-SiO 2 networks results in the formation of two distinct defect structures, which are referred to as the [SiO 4 /H] 0 and the hydroxyl E center. To study the distribution of each defect's properties, up to 116 configurations of each center were calculated. We show that the hydroxyl E center can be thermodynamically stable in the neutral charge state. In order to understand the origins and reactions of this defect, different mechanisms of formation, passivation, and depassivation have been investigated. The interaction of H with a single-oxygen vacancy in a-SiO 2 was studied in 144 configurations, all resulting in the hydrogen bridge defect. The reaction of the hydrogen bridge defect with the second H atom is barrierless and fully passivates the O vacancy. The latter defect reacts with atomic H with a small barrier, restoring the hydrogen bridge defect. These results provide a better understanding of how atomic and molecular hydrogen can both passivate existing defects and create new electrically active defects in amorphous-silica matrices.

No abstract

Using ab initio modeling we demonstrate that H atoms can break strained Si-O bonds in continuous amorphous silicon dioxide (a-SiO2) networks, resulting in a new defect consisting of a 3-coordinated Si atom with an unpaired electron facing a hydroxyl group, adding to the density of dangling bond defects, such as E centers. The energy barriers to form this defect from interstitial H atoms range between 0.5 and 1.3 eV. This discovery of unexpected reactivity of atomic hydrogen may have significant implications for our understanding of processes in silica glass and nano-scaled silica, e.g., in porous low-permittivity insulators, and strained variants of a-SiO2.

Using ab initio calculations we demonstrate that extra electrons in pure amorphous SiO2 can be trapped in deep band gap states. Classical potentials were used to generate amorphous silica models and density functional theory to characterise the geometrical and electronic structures of trapped electrons. Extra electrons can trap spontaneously on pre-existing structural precursors in amorphous SiO2 and produce ≈3.2 eV deep states in the band gap. These precursors comprise wide (⩾130°) O–Si–O angles and elongated Si-O bonds at the tails of corresponding distributions. The electron trapping in amorphous silica structure results in an opening of the O-Si-O angle (up to almost 180). We estimate the concentration of these electron trapping sites to be ≈ 5 X 1019cm-3. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved