Negative bias temperature instability on plasma-nitrided silicon dioxide film

Abstract

The behavior of negative-bias-temperature-instability (NBTI) on ultra-thin plasma-nitrided silicon dioxide films (1.8 and 2.6 nm) has been investigated and compared with conventional thermal nitridation. Plasma-nitrided oxides shows more resistance to NBTI, as compared to thermal-nitrided oxides. This is attributed to the fact that plasma nitridation incorporates the nitrogen at the top oxide surface, thus mitigating the undesirable nitrogen-enhanced NBTI effect. Additionally, the degradation mechanism of NBTI is found to be insensitive to the nitridation process, nitrogen concentration and boron penetration.