Defect generation in ultrathin silicon dioxide films produced by anode hole injection

A direct demonstration of defect generation in ultrathin silicon dioxide films due to the transport of holes through this layer is reported. These defects are observed only when the hole current to the cathode of the device exceeds the electron current to the anode. This condition is produced on p-channel field-effect transistors under negative gate-voltage-bias conditions with ultrathin gate oxide layers. These results are related to current reliability models which use anode hole injection and the defects produced to explain destructive breakdown of the oxide layer. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)04743-4].