Simulation of hot hole currents in ultra-thin silicon dioxides: the relationship between time to breakdown and hot hole currents

We have investigated the relationship between the currents of hot holes injected into silicon dioxides and the time to breakdown (T/sub BD/) characteristics. The hot hole currents were calculated by combining a tunnel current simulator and a silicon full-band Monte Carlo (FBMC) simulator. Our results show that the hot hole current seems to be responsible for oxide degradation and breakdown. Moreover, the additional impact ionization process where electrons are relaxed into the valence bands plays an important role in hot hole generation in the low-gate-voltage region.