Pre-breakdown negative differential resistance in thin oxide film: Conductive-atomic force microscopy observation and modelling

Negative differential resistance in thin nitrated silicon oxide and silicon oxide films is observed during current voltage measurements using conductive atomic force microscopy in ultra-high vacuum if the voltage sweep direction is reversed just before the dielectric breakdown voltage is reached. Cu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied physics 2011-08, Vol.110 (3), p.034104-034104-6
Main Authors: Delcroix, P., Blonkowski, S., Kogelschatz, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Negative differential resistance in thin nitrated silicon oxide and silicon oxide films is observed during current voltage measurements using conductive atomic force microscopy in ultra-high vacuum if the voltage sweep direction is reversed just before the dielectric breakdown voltage is reached. Current voltage characteristics are discussed using a trap assisted tunneling model. The resulting concentration of traps needed in order to reproduce the experimental characteristic leads to the consideration of a filamentlike conduction model, rather than a trap assisted tunneling model in which traps are randomly generated. The model reproduces well the effect of the voltage ramp parameters on the experimental current voltage characteristics, including the negative differential resistance. The effect of the growth dynamic parameters on the current voltage characteristics and the occurrence of the pre-breakdown negative differential resistance are discussed with the help of the model.
ISSN:0021-8979
1089-7550
DOI:10.1063/1.3610506