Comparison of soft-breakdown triggers for large-area capacitors under constant voltage stress

This work quantitatively compares soft breakdown identification methods for constant voltage stress of large-area nMOS capacitors (up to 10 mm/sup 2/) with 1.8- to 12-nm gate-oxide thickness (with negative gate voltage). We conclude that in the studied range, breakdown is identified more reliably with a current step trigger than through increased current fluctuation. We present a method to quantify the system background noise, and show results of data filtering algorithms that significantly enhance the ratio between the breakdown signal and background noise level.