Effects of nitridation by nitric oxide on the leakage current of thin SiO2 gate oxides

We have studied the effects of nitridation with nitric oxide on the leakage current of thin (< 8 nm) gate oxides. Under gate injection of electrons the oxide leakage current behavior reflects the trend of the electrical thickness and flatband voltage and it can be modeled by the Fowler-Nordheim relation. Conversely, a different behavior is observed for electron injection from the substrate. The leakage current during substrate injection is strictly related to the nitrogen that, as observed by secondary ion mass spectrometry, is located at the SiO2/Si substrate interface. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)00201-2].