Quantitative evaluation of gate oxide damage during plasma processing using antenna-structure capacitors

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 33; no. 1A; pp. 83 - 87
• Main Authors: ERIGUCHI, K, URAOKA, Y, NAKAGAWA, H, TAMAKI, T, KUBOTA, M, NOMURA, N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Japanese journal of applied physics 1994
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Electronic properties; Polycrystal; Transistor gate; MOS structure; Oxides; Experimental study; Microelectronic fabrication; Failure analysis; Plasma etching; Size effect; Silicon; LOCOS technology; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0021-4922; 1347-4065
• DOI: 10.1143/jjap.33.83

Plasma-induced damage of gate oxides is evaluated from the difference between the intrinsic charge-to-breakdown ( Q BD ) and the residual Q BD . This difference, Δ Q BD , corresponds to the plasma-induced damage to the oxide and to the accumulation of conduction current from the plasma into the oxide. It is shown experimentally that the plasma-induced damage Δ Q BD increases in proportion to the antenna ratio (exposed antenna area/gate area). The Δ Q BD of the antenna capacitor depends not on the device structures such as the gate oxide thickness, but on the plasma process conditions.