Single- Versus Multi-Step Trap Assisted Tunneling Currents—Part I: Theory

Leakage currents through dielectrics in modern logic, memory, and power devices, and back-end interlevel layers can severely increase the time-zero power dissipation and shorten the lifetime of the material structure. Depending on thickness, material properties, and fabrication quality, different conduction mechanisms through the insulating layer, such as band-to-band and trap-assisted tunneling (TAT) are observed. These leakage currents can be distinguished by their dependence on electric field strength, temperature, and their transient characteristics. The identification of the underlying mechanisms is of utmost importance for the selection of suitable dielectrics and optimization of device processing. In this work, we present a nonradiative multiphonon model which extends our compact physics (Comphy) reliability framework to also account for TAT. The model is based on a single physical defect parameter set from which charge transfer kinetics between charge carrier reservoirs and oxide defects (single-TAT) as well as between the defects (multi-TAT) can be derived. We thereby demonstrate that the thermal barrier for inelastic defect–defect carrier tunneling is approximately twice as large in comparison to reservoir-defect interaction and further show in which parameter regime multi-TAT plays a role. Our results show that multi-TAT currents are a less important contribution to the overall tunnel current than previously assumed.