Off-state leakage currents in n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors with 10-nm thermally nitrided and reoxidized nitrided oxides as the gate dielectric

The effects of nitridation and reoxidation on the off-state leakage currents of n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect transistors have been investigated. It is found that nitridation greatly increases the gate leakage in the low-field range but ensuing reoxidation can effectively reduce it. Nitridation-induced oxide traps could be responsible for this leakage, along with traps introduced during the source/drain implant. A trap-assisted tunneling model has been proposed to explain this off-state gate leakage.