Characterization of local dielectric breakdown in ultrathin SiO2 films using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy

Local dielectric breakdown of ultrathin SiO2 films grown on silicon substrates has been investigated by using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS). We found that STM observation can reveal individual quasibreakdown spots created by hot-electron injection into the oxide, as well as features of the topography such as atomic steps on the oxide surface. STS was used to study the local electrical properties of the oxide films before and after electrical stressing. We observed a leakage current at the quasibreakdown spots that passed through defect levels in the ultrathin oxide films. We also found that several tunneling spectra obtained from near leakage sites showed clear negative differential resistance. This phenomenon was attributed to the conductance change in the leakage path due to electron charging effects. Moreover, we confirmed the stressing polarity dependence of the leakage-site creation, and that atomic steps on the oxide and at the SiO2/Si interface did not cause any serous problem in the quasibreakdown process. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)03709-3].