Room temperature DC ramp voltage I-Vs for three different thicknesses of silicon nitride MIM capacitors fit a conduction mechanism due to Frenkel-Poole emission with deviation at low voltages due to space-charge effects. A dielectric constant value of 6.1, extracted from the I-Vs, confirms the conduction mechanism chosen. Frenkel-Poole conductivity is the basis of a published model predicting capacitor life times. Constant voltage life test data show that this model provides a useful lower bound on capacitor life times. Silicon nitride robustness under transient conditions was assessed via human body model tests. For small capacitors, ESD robustness is doubled by using twice the area or twice the dielectric thickness; however, for large capacitors, thinner dielectric results in higher HBM failure voltages. Dielectric leakage allows for safe dissipation of transient charges. Transient simulations incorporating Frenkel-Poole based leakage show good correlation between HBM failure voltage and constant voltage capacitor breakdown.

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