SILC as a measure of trap generation and predictor of TBD in ultrathin oxides

The theoretical basis of stress-induced leakage current (SILC) as a measure of bulk trap density within thin oxide films is explored. Contrary to popular belief, this measure is neither absolute, nor do most papers in the literature sufficiently specify the measurement conditions to make their comparison meaningful. We also explore the relationship between SILC generation rate and the time-to-breakdown, and show that only a very specific definition of SILC generation can capture the voltage dependence of the time-to-breakdown.