Macroscopic and microscopic studies of electrical properties of very thin silicon dioxide subject to electrical stress

The electrical characteristics of various size tunnel switch diode devices, composed of Al/SiO2/n-Si/p(+)-Si layers, which operate with a range of parameters (such as current densities in excess of 10(4) A/cm(2)) that stress the oxide layer far beyond the levels used in typical thin oxide metal-oxide semiconductor research have been examined. It is found that the first time a large current and electric field are applied to the device, a ''forming'' process enhances transport through the oxide in the vicinity of the edges of the gate electrode, but the oxide still retains its integrity as a tunnel barrier. The device operation is relatively stable to stresses of greater than 10(7) C/cm(2) areally averaged, time-integrated charge injection. Duplication and characterization of these modified oxide tunneling properties was attempted using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to stress and probe the oxide. Electrical stressing with the STM tip creates regions of reduced conductivity, possibly resulting from trapped charge in the oxide. Lateral variations in the conductivity of the unstressed oxide over regions roughly 20-50 nm across were also found. (C) 1997 American Vacuum Society.