Impact of Plasma-Charging Damage to the Scaling Limit of Thin Gate-Oxide

The impact of plasma-charging damage on ultra-thin gate-oxide is discussed. The argument for plasma-charging damage becomes less important is examined. Without considering the area and failure rate scaling effect, one mode of charging damage does become less important while other modes continue to be a serious problem. After scaling is properly accounted for, all charging damage will be a serious problem. The problem is more serious for thinner gate-oxide because its lifetime has become a limiting factor in device scaling. No one has yet to make the proper measurement for charging damage in the ultra-thin gate-oxide regime. SILC with properly designed tester can be used for ultra-thin gate-oxide damage measurement. However, one must take care to use stress to reveal the latent defects that are hidden by annealing.