Electron Avalanche Injection in Thin Nitrided Sio2 Films

Electron avalanche injection has been used to study charge trapping in thin (10-30 nm) ammonia-annealed silicon dioxide films as a function of process conditions. While electron traps (with a cross section of ~ 10
-16
cm
²
) increase with nitridation temperature and time, the generation of interfacial positive charge (``turn-around effect'') is greatly reduced or totally eliminated under severe nitridation conditions.