9424636 Ma This proposed research project, to be conducted jointly by researchers at Yale and at the Xinjiang Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is designed to answer some important scientific questions concerning advanced thin gate dielectrics for future generations of MOS (Metal-Oxide- Semiconductor) integrated circuit technology. The objective of this collaborative research project is to achieve a better understanding of the role of nitrogen and fluorine in improving the thin gate oxide reliability. In particular, we hope to answer the questions as to (i) how the concentration and spatial distribution of nitrogen or fluorine affect the electrical properties of the gate oxide, (ii) how the concentration and spatial distribution of nitrogen or fluorine affect the hot-carrier effects (including dielectric breakdown) as well as radiation effects in MOS devices, (iii) whether/how the incorporation of nitrogen or fluorine affect the hydrogen migration in the oxide, (iv) whether/how the incorporation of nitrogen or fluorine causes strain relaxation near the SiO 2/Si interface, and (v) how the processing parameters affect the concentration and distribution of nitrogen or fluorine. The knowledge to be gained from this research could serve as a useful guide for the semiconductor industry in their process development, and thereby help to accelerate the development of this advanced gate oxide technology to commercial maturity.
