Rapid-Thermal Nitridation of SiO2 for Radiation-Hardened MOS Gate Dielectrics

Nitridation of thin SiO2 layers has been achieved by a rapid thermal process in the presence of ammonia. The pre-and post-radiation performances of transistors with nitridated gate insulators have been presented. Nitridation causes a lowering of threshold voltage and channel mobility. Total dose testing indicates that nitridated gate oxides, under certain conditions, produce lower threshold voltage shift as well as less interface state generation than control (oxide) samples.