Abstract
A simple physical model that predicts charge accumulation at the dielectric interface of metal-nitride-oxide-silicon (MNOS) structures is proposed and verified experimentally. The model is based on the presence of steady-state current flow in the dielectric structure. Interface-charge accumulation is shown to be determined by the requirement for continuity of current through the structure under steady-state conditions. Continuity of current is established by accumulation of either positive or negative charge for a given polarity of charging voltage, depending on the relative current-field characteristics of the silicon nitride and silicon dioxide layers. Due to the exponential nature of the current-field characteristics, the time required to reach steady state is a strong function of the applied charging voltage. This leads to the observed charge storage property of MNOS devices. The hysteresis characteristic observed in MNOS structures is shown to be time-dependent with a tendency to merge into a single-valued dependence of accumulated charge on charging voltage as the steady-state condition is approached. The validity of the theoretical model for both steady-state and transient behavior is confirmed by current-voltage, capacitance-voltage, and turn-on measurements of MNOS capacitors and transistors for different dielectric thickness ratios and over a wide temperature range. The underlying concept that charge accumulation establishes current continuity in a two-layer dielectric structure should be valid, in general, for any two-dielectric structure.
References
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Dates
Type | When |
---|---|
Created | 21 years, 6 months ago (Feb. 9, 2004, 11:56 a.m.) |
Deposited | 1 year, 6 months ago (Feb. 1, 2024, 8:27 p.m.) |
Indexed | 1 day, 10 hours ago (Aug. 23, 2025, 9:32 p.m.) |
Issued | 56 years, 1 month ago (July 1, 1969) |
Published | 56 years, 1 month ago (July 1, 1969) |
Published Print | 56 years, 1 month ago (July 1, 1969) |
@article{Frohman_Bentchkowsky_1969, title={Charge Transport and Storage in Metal-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon (MNOS) Structures}, volume={40}, ISSN={1089-7550}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1658181}, DOI={10.1063/1.1658181}, number={8}, journal={Journal of Applied Physics}, publisher={AIP Publishing}, author={Frohman-Bentchkowsky, D. and Lenzlinger, M.}, year={1969}, month=jul, pages={3307–3319} }