Nanoscale Bias-Annealing Effect in Postirradiated Thin Silicon Dioxide Films Observed by Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy

Degradation of polycrystalline HfO2-based gate dielectrics under nanoscale electrical stress

“…The polycrystallization of high-k-based gate dielectrics, which can occur even during relatively low temperature device fabrication steps (e.g., atomic layer deposition, forming gas anneal), 1 has been identified as one of the device-to-device variability sources. Conductive atomic force microscope (CAFM) experiments, which may address nanoscale topographical and electrical properties of dielectric stacks, [2][3][4][5] reveal significantly higher leakage currents through the grain boundaries (GBs) than through nanocrystal (NC) grains. 3,6 Theoretical models 7 suggest that the current through the GBs could be related to a large concentration of oxygen vacancies at the GBs, which might effectively act as conductive paths through the dielectric film.…”

Conductive atomic force microscopy as a tool to reveal high ionising dose effects on ultra thin SiO2/Si structures

“…With respect to ionising dose effects, very little was reported in the literature. Wu et al (2007) have observed bias-annealing effects in Co 60 c-ray irradiated very thin SiO 2 films.…”

“…C-AFM can simultaneously map topography and current distributions of a sample. Numerous studies have been realised on thin SiO 2 films on Si substrates using this technique (Porti et al 2002(Porti et al , 2003(Porti et al , 2007Wu and Lin 2006;Wu et al 2007Wu et al , 2008Hourani et al 2011). But, at this day, no clear explanation was provided to understand the mechanisms involved at nanoscale in stressed and broken-down thin films.…”

“…The most accomplished works can be attributed to Porti et al (2002Porti et al ( , 2003Porti et al ( , 2007 and Wu et al (2007Wu et al ( , 2008Wu and Lin 2006). Both authors have shown that oxide degradation exhibits two aspects.…”

Design of an Electrically Written and Optically Read Non-volatile Memory Device Employing BiFeO 3 /Au Heterostructures with Strong Absorption Resonance

“…The thickness of Au is designed to be 200 nm, thick enough to reduce transmission light, and the refractive index is according to Ref. [20]. BFO is assumed to be (001) oriented with the (001) axis of the sample vertically upward and the light irradiates along or perpendicular to the (111) axis, corresponding to the ordinary and extraordinary axes, respectively.…”