Thickness Dependence of Dielectric Breakdown Failure of Thermal SiO2 Films

Thickness dependence of total dielectric breakdown failure fraction of thermal SiO2 films has a minimum value at around l10A and a maximum value at around 400A. It is concluded that two main origins of dielectric breakdown failures of thin SiO2 film are surface contamination prior to gate oxidation and microdefects in Si substrates.