Enhanced off-state leakage currents in n-channel MOSFETs with N2O-grown gate dielectric

This paper reports on the off-state drain (GIDL) and gate current (Ig) characteristics of n-channel MOSFETs using thin thermal oxide (OX), N/sub 2/O-nitrided oxide (N2ON), and N/sub 2/O-grown oxide (N20G) as gate dielectrics. Important phenomena observed in N20G devices are enhanced GIDL and Ig in the low-field region as compared to the OX and N20N devices. They are attributed to heavy-nitridation-induced junction leakage and shallow-electron-trap-assisted tunneling mechanisms, respectively. Therefore, N2ON oxide is superior to N20G oxide in leakage-sensitive applications.<
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