A fast I-V screening measurement for tddb assessment of ultra-thick inter-metal dielectrics

Semiconductor manufacturing economics necessitate the development of novel and innovative techniques that can replace the traditional time consuming reliability methods, i.e., the constant voltage stress time-dependent dielectric breakdown (CVS-TDDB) tests. We show that positive charge trapping is a dominant process when ultra-thick oxides are stressed through the ramped voltage test. Exploiting the physics behind positive charge generation/trapping at high electric fields, a fast I-V measurement technique is proposed that can be used to effectively distinguish the ultra-thick oxides' intrinsic quality at low electric fields. It will be demonstrated, based on experimental data, that our proposed technique can be a suitable replacement for the CVS-TDDB as a quality screening tool.