Impact of low-temperature and low-pressure mild oxidation after plasma solidification on electrical properties and reliability in ultra-thin SiON MOSFETs

The impact of different SiON manufacturing processes on performance and reliability behaviors has been investigated for the MOSFETs. The performance of devices composed of an ultrathin SiON film fabricated by the novel low-temperature and low-pressure mild oxidation after the plasma solidification (LLMOPS) method can be enhanced compared to conventional processes, which is attributed to the increased mobility. It is observed from secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis that the distribution of nitrogen with the LLMOPS process moves toward the upper surface of SiON. As a result, the p-MOSFET manufactured by the LLMOPS process exhibits lower electrical performance degradation during the NBTI stress, indicating that a reduction in nitrogen concentration at the Si/SiO₂ interface contributes to improving NBTI behavior. It is also demonstrated that the inhibition of NBTI phenomena enhances the frequency stability on the ring oscillator with circuit simulation. Thus, the LLMOPS process is a promising approach to improve the performance and reliability of MOSFETs in mass production.