Abstract:A set of MOS structures with thin SiO 2 layers prepared by nitric acid oxidation (NAOS) method was investigated using acoustic deep level transient spectroscopy (A-DLTS) to explain the role of annealing treatment (post-oxidation annealing (POA) and post-metallization annealing (PMA)) at different conditions on the distribution of interface states. The activation energies of interface states and the corresponding capture cross-section were calculated both from Arrhenius plots constructed for individual peaks of the A-DLTS spectra and applying the method of modeling of measured acoustic spectra. The energy distribution of the interface states was determined also from the dependence of acoustoelectric response signal (ARS) on the external bias voltage (U − V G curves). By comparing the A-DLTS spectra, U − V G characteristics and some electrical measurements (G − V , I − V curves) of investigated MOS structures with no treatment with those treated with POA and/or PMA, the role of individual treatments was observed. The definite decrease of the interface states in the structures with the PMA treatment in comparison with the POA treatment was confirmed too.
Abstract:Ultrathin silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) layers formed on Si substrate with nitric acid have been investigated using both acoustic deep-level transient spectroscopy (A-DLTS) and electrical methods to characterize the interface states. The set of SiO 2 /Si structures formed in different conditions (reaction time, concentrations of nitric acid (HNO 3 ), and SiO 2 thickness [3-9 nm]) was prepared. The leakage current density was decreased by post-oxidation annealing (POA) treatment at 250°C in pure nitrogen for 1 h and/or post-metallization annealing (PMA) treatment at 250°C in a hydrogen atmosphere for 1 h. All structures of the set, except electrical investigation, current-voltage (I − V ), and capacitance -voltage (C − V ) measurements, were investigated using A-DLTS to find both the interface states distribution and the role of POA and/or PMA treatment on the interface-state occurrence and distribution. The evident decreases of interface states and shift of their activation energies in the structures with PMA treatment in comparison with POA treatment were observed in most of the investigated structures. The results are analyzed and discussed.
PACS (2008):73.
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