Stress-induced leakage current (SILC) is an increase in the gate
leakage current
In electronics, leakage is the gradual transfer of electrical energy across a boundary normally viewed as insulating, such as the spontaneous discharge of a charged capacitor, magnetic coupling of a transformer with other components, or flow of cu ...
of a
MOSFET, used in
semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. ...
physics. It occurs due to defects created in the
gate oxide
The gate oxide is the dielectric layer that separates the gate terminal of a MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) from the underlying source and drain terminals as well as the conductive channel that connects source and drain ...
during electrical stressing. SILC is perhaps the largest factor inhibiting device miniaturization. Increased leakage is a common
failure mode of electronic devices.
Oxide defects
The most well-studied defects assisting in the leakage current are those produced by
charge trapping in the oxide. This model provides a point of attack and has stimulated researchers to develop methods to decrease the rate of charge trapping by mechanisms such as
nitrous oxide (N2O) nitridation of the oxide.
Semiconductor device defects
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