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Limitations of Plasma Charging Damage Measurements Using MOS Capacitor Structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

M A Shawming ,
Wael L. N. Abdel-Ati  and
James P. Mcvittie
M A Shawming
Affiliation:
Center for Integrated Systems, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4070
Wael L. N. Abdel-Ati
Affiliation:
Center for Integrated Systems, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4070
James P. Mcvittie
Affiliation:
Center for Integrated Systems, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-4070
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Abstract

This paper investigates the sensitivity and limitation of capacitor testing for measuring potential charging damage to gate oxides in a given plasma step. While C-V measurements are the most directly related to transistor threshold voltage (Vth) and transconductance (gm), C-V measurements are slow, difficult to automate and not usable for large antenna structures without a fuse link. In contrast, ramp breakdown measurements are quick and easy to automate but lack sensitivity. Charge-to-breakdown offers better sensitivity but with long measurement times. A more promising method is the V-t measurement where the slope dV/dt after initial charging is a measure of the trapping generation rate and is found to be very sensitive to charge damage. The damage sensitivity of this method is high and involves tradeoffs between antenna ratio, testing current and testing time. All of which are critical to damage testing. Leakage measurements are another method which offers short measurement times and high sensitivity. Their limitations are the noise level of the measurement system and the making of good probe contact to the gate material.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 428: Symposium L – Materials Reliability in Microelectronics VI , 1996 , 349
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

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