Nonhomogeneous spatial distribution of filamentary leakage current paths in circular area Pt/HfO2/Pt capacitors

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Date
2013
Authors
Miranda, Enrique
Jiménez, David
Suñé, Jordi
O'Connor, Éamon
Monaghan, Scott
Povey, Ian M.
Cherkaoui, Karim
Hurley, Paul K.
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American Institute of Physics / American Vacuum Society
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Abstract
Filamentary leakage current paths can occur in circular area Pt/HfO2/Pt capacitors as the result of severe electrical stress. The spatial distribution of these paths is investigated using 2D statistical methods. The filamentary paths are associated with important thermal effects occurring inside the HfO2 layer and manifest externally as a random spot pattern on the top Pt electrode. It is shown in this paper that for the devices with the largest areas significant departures from homogeneity are detected close to the peripheries of the structures. These deviations are observed as a lower density of spots than expected for a homogeneous Poisson process. Although the ultimate reason for this anomaly is still under investigation, our results demonstrate that the complete spatial randomness frequently assumed in oxide reliability analysis should not be taken for granted.
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Keywords
Capacitors , Electrodes , Hafnium compounds , Leakage currents , Platinum , Reliability , Statistical analysis , Stochastic processes
Citation
MIRANDA, E., JIMENEZ, D., SUNE, J., O'CONNOR, E., MONAGHAN, S., POVEY, I., CHERKAOUI, K. & HURLEY, P. K. 2013. Nonhomogeneous spatial distribution of filamentary leakage current paths in circular area Pt/HfO[sub 2]/Pt capacitors. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures, 31, 01A107-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.4768681
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© 2013 American Vacuum Society. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Vacuum Society. The following article appeared in MIRANDA, E., JIMENEZ, D., SUNE, J., O'CONNOR, E., MONAGHAN, S., POVEY, I., CHERKAOUI, K. & HURLEY, P. K. 2013. Nonhomogeneous spatial distribution of filamentary leakage current paths in circular area Pt/HfO[sub 2]/Pt capacitors. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures, 31, 01A107-6. and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.4768681