Characterization of the Si/SiO2 interface morphology from quantum oscillations in Fowler–Nordheim tunneling currents

Poler, Jordan C.

doi:10.1116/1.587113

Cited by 28 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…1 Oscillations in the ͑oxide͒-bias-dependent current arise from the interference of electron waves reflected at the oxide-semiconductor ͑OS͒ interface and at the point of emergence of the tunneling electrons at the bottom of the tilted SiO 2 conduction band. [4][5][6][7][8] Invariably, these data were analyzed in terms of Gundlach's theory based on a trapezoidal barrier ͑i.e., neglecting image force effect͒, 1 from which an estimation of the conduction-band effective mass m ox of SiO 2 can be made. Experimental verification of a weak oscillatory structure in the FN current was reported by Maserjian and Petersson in 1974, 2,3 and by others in subsequent years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current oscillations in thin metal–oxide–semiconductor structures observed by ballistic electron emission microscopy

Wen

Ludeke

Schenk³

1998

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena

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Articles you may be interested inTunneling current at the interface of silicon and silicon dioxide partly embedded with silicon nanocrystals in metal oxide semiconductor structures Characterization of ultrathin metal-oxide-semiconductor structures using coupled current and capacitance-voltage models based on quantum calculation J. Appl. Phys. 92, 4449 (2002); 10.1063/1.1506000Determination of electron trap distribution in the gate-oxide region of the deep submicron metal-oxide-semiconductor structure from direct tunneling gate current Quantum interference oscillations of electrons in a thin SiO 2 layer were observed by ballistic electron emission microscopy ͑BEEM͒. With BEEM, electrons are injected across the gate of a metal-oxide-semiconductor ͑MOS͒ structure and directly into the conduction band of the SiO 2 . The MOS capacitor consisted of a 5 nm thick Pd film deposited on a 2.8Ϯ0.2 nm oxide thermally grown on Si͑100͒. Oscillations with up to four peaks in an energy range of 0-3 eV above the injection threshold were noted. Their magnitude is of the order of 30% of the underlying BEEM current. The oscillations were most salient and their energy location repeatable at points of the sample that were previously not exposed to the electron beam. Even modest exposures caused a buildup of positive charge. This charge resulted in energy shifts, as well as a weakening of the oscillations, both of which are a consequence of the added scattering and local field inhomogeneities associated with the random distribution of the positive charge. Solutions of the Schrödinger equation that included a built-in oxide potential of 0.20 V and image force effects at both interfaces gave excellent fits to the experimental data for an effective electron mass in the oxide m ox ϭ0.63 Ϯ0.09m o . The uncertainty in m ox arises from an uncertainty of Ϯ0.2 nm in the determination of the oxide thickness by ellipsometric methods. Nevertheless, the obtained value is well above the generally accepted value of 0.5m o .

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current oscillations in thin metal–oxide–semiconductor structures observed by ballistic electron emission microscopy

Wen

Ludeke

Schenk³

1998

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena

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“…Typical initial instrumental conditions begin with aligning and maximizing the spot detector signal, followed by minimizing the tip-sample force on the order of tens of nN upon contact with the surface. 12 However, the quality of our AFM images are significantly improved using this method. We used commercially available Si 3 N 4 tips and cantilevers; all tips were checked with standards for x, y, and z calibration prior to imaging.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A morphology study of the thermal oxidation of rough silicon surfaces

Liu

Spanos

Zhao

et al. 1995

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

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Effects of atomic-scale surface morphology on carbon nanotube alignment on thermally oxidized silicon surface Appl. Phys. Lett. 96, 103102 (2010); 10.1063/1.3354009 Effect of surface roughness on thermal conductivity of silicon nanowiresA report on the thermal oxidation of rough silicon surfaces as measured by spectroscopic immersion ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy ͑AFM͒ is given. It was found that, as the thickness of the thermally grown SiO 2 overlayer increases, the average radius of the crystalline silicon protrusions ͑roughness͒ at the interface decreases. A fractal analysis shows that a simpler surface results from oxidation. The frequency spectra of AFM images are concordant with the fractal analysis and shows that small features oxidize faster. This is in agreement with the predictions of the Kelvin equation that small features are more reactive.

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“…The FN current oscillations are analyzed from the oscillation factor B which is represented in equation (8). Several methods have been used in the literature [19,20,31], the most accurate one was developed by Zafar et al [20]. It is based on the use of the conduction parameters K 1 and K 2 or F m (eqs.…”

Section: Fowler-nordheim Current With Oscillationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In [17,20,31] the I-V g characteristics of MOS structures where the oxide thickness is lower than 60 A, are assumed to be ideal at low and high fields. The current oscillations are modeled by taking the barrier height F m % 3 eV.…”

Section: Fowler-nordheim Current With Oscillationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fowler-Nordheim Current Oscillations Analysis of Metal/Ultra-Thin Oxide/Semiconductor Structures

Khlifi

Kassmi

Roubi

et al. 2000

phys. stat. sol. (a)

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In this paper we present results concerning the modeling of oscillations in the I-V g characteristics (V g < 0), of metal/ultra-thin oxide/semiconductor (MOS) structures where the oxide thickness is 45 A. From the theoretical models of the literature we have shown that the modeling of oscillations cannot be made by using the conduction parameters (metal/ultra-thin oxide interface barrier, prefactor K 1 ) at low or high electric fields. However, it requires the determination and a fine analysis at low fields of the excess current which is due to the presence of defects in the oxide layer. The oscillations analysis of this excess current enabled us to show on the one hand a good agreement between the field values corresponding to the theoretical and experimental oscillation extrema, and on the other hand to estimate the defect depth.

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Characterization of the Si/SiO2 interface morphology from quantum oscillations in Fowler–Nordheim tunneling currents

Cited by 28 publications

References 11 publications

Current oscillations in thin metal–oxide–semiconductor structures observed by ballistic electron emission microscopy

Current oscillations in thin metal–oxide–semiconductor structures observed by ballistic electron emission microscopy

A morphology study of the thermal oxidation of rough silicon surfaces

Fowler-Nordheim Current Oscillations Analysis of Metal/Ultra-Thin Oxide/Semiconductor Structures

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