| AVS 63rd International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Electronic Materials and Photonics | Thursday Sessions |
| Session EM+AC+SS+TF-ThM |
| Session: | Radiation Detection Materials and Devices |
| Presenter: | Michael Mutch, Pennsylvania State University |
| Authors: | M.J. Mutch, Pennsylvania State University P.M. Lenahan, Pennsylvania State University S.W. King, Intel Corporation |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Radiation effects of MOS devices have been extensively studied due to the demand for electronic devices in space applications.[1] The scaling of these MOS devices will lead to an eventual need for low-dielectric constant (i.e., low-κ) dielectrics to reduce parasitic capacitances associated with scaling of back-end-of-line interlayer dielectrics (ILDs). However, little is known about radiation effects of low-κ ILDs. We utilize electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR) via spin-dependent trap-assisted tunneling (SDTAT) to study point defects in porous low-κ a-SiOC:H systems before and after exposing samples to radiation damage. SDTAT/EDMR has the sensitivity and analytical power to specifically identify only those defects which are involved in electronic transport. Due to the inherent complexity of the a-SiOC:H systems, multiple frequency EDMR is utilized to better understand defect structure when featureless spectra are present.
The a-SiOC:H films are grown via PECVD, and exhibit carbon dangling bonds prior to porogen removal via UV-annealing.[2] After porogen removal via UV treatment, it has been shown, via multiple frequency EDMR, that silicon dangling bonds are the dominating defect center responsible for SDTAT in these films.[2] The porous a-SiOC:H systems were subjected to a 15 Mrad total dose via a cobalt-60 dry cell gamma-ray source while simultaneously applying either positive, negative, or no bias. We find that the post-radiation IV curves are a strong function of the biasing conditions which were applied during radiation. This likely indicates that electron and hole traps will both play a role in radiation damage effects in these systems. We find that the EDMR response amplitude is greatly increased (by a factor of 4 or greater) after irradiation for all biasing conditions. This result indicates a substantial increase in the density of defects involved in electronic transport. Multiple frequency EDMR measurements suggest that the generated defects are primarily silicon dangling bonds.
[1] J. R. Schwank et al., IEEE Trans. Nuc. Sci. 55, 1833 (2008).
[2] M. J. Mutch et al., J. Appl. Phys. 119, 094102 (2016).