Time-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown on Subnanometer EOT nMOS FinFETs

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Feijoo, Pedro C, Kauerauf, Thomas, Toledano-Luque, María, Togo, Mitsuhiro, Enrique San Andrés, Groeseneken, Guido
• Format: Paper Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 29.01.2024
• Subjects: Atomic layer epitaxy; Dielectric breakdown; Failure mechanisms; Leakage current; Metal oxide semiconductors; Physics - Applied Physics; Physics - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics; Time dependence
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2402.00886

In this paper, the time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) in sub-1-nm equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) n-type bulk FinFETs is studied. The gate stacks consist of an IMEC clean interfacial layer, atomic layer deposition HfO2 high-k and TiN metal electrode. For the 0.8-nm EOT FinFETs, it is found that TDDB lifetime is consistent with results of planar devices for areas around 1e-8 cm2, implying that the FinFET architecture does not seem to introduce new failure mechanisms. However, for devices with smaller area, the extrapolated voltage at a ten-year lifetime for soft breakdown (SBD) does not meet the specifications, and as a consequence, the SBD path wear-out will have to be included in the final extrapolation. Furthermore, it is shown that for EOTs smaller than 0.8 nm, the TDDB reliability on n-type FinFETs is challenged by the high leakage currents.