Characterization of interface defects related to negative-bias temperature instability in ultrathin plasma-nitrided SiON/Si100 systems

プラズマ窒化酸化膜の負バイアス温度不安定性に関与する界面欠陥の評価

藤枝 信次*; 三浦 喜直*; 西藤 哲史*; 寺岡 有殿; 吉越 章隆 

Fujieda, Shinji*; Miura, Yoshinao*; Saito, Motofumi*; Teraoka, Yuden; Yoshigoe, Akitaka

界面準位測定・電子スピン共鳴・シンクロトロン放射光XPSを行って、プラズマ窒化酸化膜の負バイアス温度不安定性(NBTI)が主として界面Siダングリングボンド(Pセンター)からの水素脱離で起こることを明らかにした。NBTIでは非P欠陥も生成されるが、窒素ダングリングボンドは含まれない。プラズマ窒化はSiO/Si界面のストイキオメトリを劣化・界面準位を増加させるとともに、新たなP欠陥を生成する。窒化起因NBTIはこの界面欠陥の量的・質的変化に起因すると考えられる。

To characterize the interface defects that are responsible for the negative-bias temperature instability (NBTI) of a thin plasma-nitrided SiON/Si system, we carried out inerface trap density measurements, electron-spin resonance spectroscopy and synchrotron radiation XPS. The NBTI was shown to occur mainly through the dehydrogenation of the interfacial Si dangling bonds (P defects). Although we suggest that non- P defects are also generated by the negative-bias temperature stress, nitrogen dangling bonds do not seem to be included. The plasma-nitridation process was confirmed to generate sub-oxides at the interface and thus increase the interface trap density. Furthermore, it was found that the nitridation induces another type of P defect than that at pure-SiO/Si interfacec. Such an increase and structural change of the interfacial defects are likely the causes of the nitridation-enhanced NBTI.