Impact of organic contaminants from the environment on electrical characteristics of thin gate oxides

We have investigated the impact of organic contaminants from the environment on the electrical characteristics of gate oxides by evaluation of electrical characteristics of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitors and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry following thermodesorption (TD-GC/MS) analysis of organic species adsorbed on silicon surfaces. It was found that organic contaminants from the environment adsorbed on silicon surfaces deteriorate gate oxide reliability; the increase in both breakdown and infant failure of gate oxides is enhanced by organic contaminants from the environment and depends on gate oxide thickness and the kind of silicon substrate. These results are useful for clarifying the deterioration mechanism of gate oxides caused by organic contaminants on silicon surfaces.