Detailed study and projection of hard breakdown evolution in ultra-thin gate oxides

The mechanism responsible for post-soft breakdown leakage current increase in ultra-thin oxides depends on the nature of the conducting filament formed at the instant of dielectric breakdown. The conductance of the filament formed during soft breakdown has been observed to be either stable until hard breakdown occurs or to increase continually with time. The acceleration factors for predicting hard breakdown are different in each case. Recent experimental results suggest that the "hardness" of the first breakdown influences the type of conducting filament formed during the soft breakdown event the time in which hard breakdown subsequently occurs. Electron current-induced defect formation appears to be the driving force for the eventual hard breakdown event.