On the role of the interface with the substrate in the destructive dielectric breakdown of very thin insulating films grown on silicon

In this paper we treat the connection between the insulator-silicon interface properties and the breakdown. Previously, we showed that there exists striking correlation between the generation of interface traps during the high-field stress and the charge to breakdown in a variety of oxynitride films prepared by RTP. Here we elaborate this question in more detail. This correlation being much stronger that the correlation of the breakdown with the field variations induced with charge trapping, indicates that the degradation leading to the breakdown is most probably insulator-silicon interface degradation itself rather then a direct field induced mechanism or hole trapping at the cathode of injection.