Trap-assisted charge injection in MNOS structures

A new charge injection mechanism in insulators--trap-assisted injection-is considered for the MNOS structure. The dependence-on field, temperature and oxide thickness of this injection current is examined both theoretically and experimentally. The observed injection is described as electron (or hole, for the opposite polarity) injection from the silicon conduction (valence) band into the nitride conduction (valence) band via a trap as an intermediate state. The transition mechanism is tunneling, or thermal-assisted tunneling.