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Relationship between Interfacial Roughness and Dielectric Reliability for Silicon Oxynitride Gate Dielectrics Processed with Nitric Oxide

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

J. Sapjeta ,
M. L. Green ,
J. P. Chang ,
P. J. Silverman ,
T. W. Sorsch ,
B. E. Weir ,
W. Gladden ,
Y. Ma ,
C. Y. Sung  and
W. N. Lennard
J. Sapjeta
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, NJ 07974
M. L. Green
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, NJ 07974
J. P. Chang
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, NJ 07974
P. J. Silverman
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, NJ 07974
T. W. Sorsch
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, NJ 07974
B. E. Weir
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Murray Hill, NJ 07974
W. Gladden
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Orlando, FL 32819
Y. Ma
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Orlando, FL 32819
C. Y. Sung
Affiliation:
Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies, Orlando, FL 32819
W. N. Lennard
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, CANADA
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Abstract

The greatest benefits of nitrogen incorporation into gate dielectrics may be obtained by placing nitrogen preferentially at the interfacial regions of the dielectric film. One method of distributing nitrogen in this manner is by using a three-step thermal process consisting of 1.) oxynitridation in NO, 2.) subsequent reoxidation in O2, and 3.) a final NO anneal. This study investigates the effect of NO processing on substrate/dielectric interface roughness and correlates that roughness with dielectric reliability. The initial NO-containing step can roughen the interface, as can subsequent reoxidation. Increased NO exposure yields a greater nitrogen content and a concomitant increase in interface roughness. These films show a degradation in charge to breakdown (Qbd) of at least an order of magnitude when compared with similarly prepared O2-oxide films. An O2/NO process produces films with interface roughness and Qbd comparable to that of pure SiO2, independent of nitrogen content. The oxynitride reliability depends on the exact scheme for incorporating nitrogen into SiO2.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 567: Symposium R – Ultrathin SiO2 and Higg-K Materials for ULSI Gate Dielectrics , 1999 , 289
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

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References

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