Charge trapping in low temperature MOS (Metal-Oxide-Silicon) oxides

Metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) capacitors were fabricated on silicon dioxide films produced at 700 C by either low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) or high pressure thermal oxidation (HIPOX). The LPCVD process involved reaction of dichlorosilane with nitrous oxide. The HIPOX process involved dry oxygen. The LPCVD and HIPOX films were subjected to a variety of annealing treatments. We have systematically investigated the effects of these treatments by measurement of oxide charge and interface trap density before and after electron current transport across films, grown and annealed at 700 C, were comparable to those of standard dry thermal oxides grown and annealed at 1000 C. However, charge trapping in the HIPOX films was an order of magnitude larger than in the standard oxides, although well-prepared HIPOX films exhibited specific electron traps characteristics of standard dry oxides.