Determination of a specific value for the dielectric breakdown of thin insulating layers

The extrapolation to infinity of the mean time interval between two successive breakdowns as a function of the electric field applied to a thin dielectric layer leads to the concept of a specific breakdown field. Some exemples relating to very different materials indicate that such a criterion is clearer than the classical dielectric breakdown resulting from an average between several first failures occuring when a ramp voltage is applied. Therefore, the specific breakdown field can be used as well in applications for comparing the properties of different insulating materials, in microelectronics for example,as, from a fundamental point of view for studying breakdown processes in connection with the geometrical and structural parameters of the specimen and the existence of defects clusters, their growth and their possible healing before a failure.