Cell-based analytic statistical model with correlated parameters for intrinsic breakdown of ultrathin oxides

The cell-based analytic statistical model, with the cell area A/sub O/ and the critical trap number per cell n/sub BD/ both as parameters, is one of the widely cited literature models in calculating the critical density of neutral electron traps that trigger the intrinsic breakdown of ultrathin oxides. This letter reports a new correlation between A/sub O/ and n/sub BD/, which can effectively reduce the cell-based model to one with the only fitting parameter n/sub BD/. Reproduction of charge-to-breakdown data has shown that (1) n/sub BD/ decreases for reduced oxide thicknesses and (2) the range of intrinsic breakdown is relatively narrowed for increasing areas. The work also addresses the ultimate thickness limit for breakdown, as set critically at n/sub BD/=1.