Nano-scale characterization of advanced gate stacks using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy

This thesis introduces the characterization methodologies which bridge microscopic properties of material change with macroscopic characteristics of a semiconductor device. The objective is to decode the nature of the insulator-to-conductor transition of the gate dielectrics when a leakage path is f...

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Main Author: Li, Xiang
Other Authors: Pey Kin Leong
Format: Theses and Dissertations
Language:English
Published: 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/42369
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-423692023-07-04T16:13:40Z Nano-scale characterization of advanced gate stacks using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy Li, Xiang Pey Kin Leong School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Microelectronics Centre DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Nanoelectronics This thesis introduces the characterization methodologies which bridge microscopic properties of material change with macroscopic characteristics of a semiconductor device. The objective is to decode the nature of the insulator-to-conductor transition of the gate dielectrics when a leakage path is formed, and understand its impact on device performance and reliability. The oxygen deficiency is proposed to be the dominating defect responsible for the progressive degradation of the ultrathin gate oxide. The silicon nano-cluster transforms the percolation path into a stable configuration and pushes the post-breakdown conduction to a higher level. It is shown that the metal atoms in the gate electrode can migrate into the percolated high-κ dielectrics and form a conductive filament, and therefore reduce its post-breakdown reliability margin. In contrast, the percolation path can be partially repaired for fully silicided gate by controlling the oxygen diffusion and/or metal filamentation. Moreover, the interfacial dipoles are identified to be the origin of the negative flatband voltage shift for sub-stoichiometric TiNx gate. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (EEE) 2010-11-29T08:16:30Z 2010-11-29T08:16:30Z 2010 2010 Thesis Li, X. (2010). Nano-scale characterization of advanced gate stacks using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy. Doctoral thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/42369 10.32657/10356/42369 en 265 p. application/pdf
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider NTU Library
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Nanoelectronics
spellingShingle DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Nanoelectronics
Li, Xiang
Nano-scale characterization of advanced gate stacks using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy
description This thesis introduces the characterization methodologies which bridge microscopic properties of material change with macroscopic characteristics of a semiconductor device. The objective is to decode the nature of the insulator-to-conductor transition of the gate dielectrics when a leakage path is formed, and understand its impact on device performance and reliability. The oxygen deficiency is proposed to be the dominating defect responsible for the progressive degradation of the ultrathin gate oxide. The silicon nano-cluster transforms the percolation path into a stable configuration and pushes the post-breakdown conduction to a higher level. It is shown that the metal atoms in the gate electrode can migrate into the percolated high-κ dielectrics and form a conductive filament, and therefore reduce its post-breakdown reliability margin. In contrast, the percolation path can be partially repaired for fully silicided gate by controlling the oxygen diffusion and/or metal filamentation. Moreover, the interfacial dipoles are identified to be the origin of the negative flatband voltage shift for sub-stoichiometric TiNx gate.
author2 Pey Kin Leong
author_facet Pey Kin Leong
Li, Xiang
format Theses and Dissertations
author Li, Xiang
author_sort Li, Xiang
title Nano-scale characterization of advanced gate stacks using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy
title_short Nano-scale characterization of advanced gate stacks using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy
title_full Nano-scale characterization of advanced gate stacks using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy
title_fullStr Nano-scale characterization of advanced gate stacks using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy
title_full_unstemmed Nano-scale characterization of advanced gate stacks using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy
title_sort nano-scale characterization of advanced gate stacks using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy
publishDate 2010
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/42369
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