The effects of ion implantation through very thin silicon oxide films

Abstract

The ion implantation of heavy dopant species through very thin silicon oxide gate insulators degrades the insulating properties of the oxide inducing an enhanced leakage current in MOS siructures as well as a decrease of the dielectric breakdown voltage. In the present work we study quantitatively the possible physico-chemical causes of these degradation phenomena and of their recovery by thermal annealing using 18 O isotopic tracing techniques.