The generation of oxide charges and interface states in the MOS-system by tunnel injection and ionizing radiation

The effects of tunnel injection and ionizing radiation in MOS-structures for different production conditions were investigated, emphasizing changes in the oxide-charge and interface-state densities. For the interpretation of the oxide-charge structure, a model which takes several physical mechanisms into account was developed. This model was used to determine the electron capture cross section and the electron detrapping cross section as a function of the electric field. The model also shows within which limits it is possible to predict the behavior of samples under ionizing radiation from tunnel injection results. The energy distributions of the interface states generated in tunnel-injection and radiation experiments are found to be comparable. The interface-state types were characterized using tunnel-injection experiments. It is concluded that hole trapping and interface-state structure have the same effects on the MOS-system in both experiments, and that the combination of both experiments allows predictions about these phenomena.