Hot-electron-induced hydrogen redistribution and defect generation in metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors

Redistribution of hydrogen caused by hot-electron injection has been studied by hydrogen depth profiling with 15N nuclear reaction analysis and electrical methods. Internal photoemission and Fowler–Nordheim injection were used for electron injection into large Al-gate and polysilicon-gate capacitors, respectively. A hydrogen-rich layer (∼1015 atoms/cm2) observed at the Al/SiO2 interface was found to serve as the source of hydrogen during the hot-electron stress. A small fraction of the hydrogen released from this layer was found to be retrapped near the Si/SiO2 interface for large electron fluences in the Al-gate samples. Within the limit of detectability, ∼1014 cm−2, no hydrogen was measured using nuclear reaction analysis in the polysilicon-gate samples. The buildup of hydrogen at the Si/SiO2 interface exhibits a threshold at ∼1 MV/cm, consistent with the threshold for electron heating in SiO2. In the ‘‘wet’’ SiO2 films with purposely introduced excess hydrogen, the rate of hydrogen buildup at the Si/SiO2 interface is found to be significantly greater than that found in the ‘‘dry’’ films. During electron injection, hydrogen redistribution was also confirmed via the deactivation of boron dopant in the silicon substrate. The generation rates of interface states, neutral electron traps, and anomalous positive charge are found to increase with increasing hydrogen buildup in the substrate and the initial hydrogen concentration in the film. It is concluded that the generation of defects is preceded by the hot-electron-induced release and transport of atomic hydrogen and it is the chemical reaction of this species within the metal-oxide-semiconductor structure that generates the electrically active defects.