A physically based predictive model of Si/SiO₂ interface trap generation resulting from the presence of holes in the SiO₂

A physically based model is developed which explains apparently unrelated aspects of the Si/SiO₂ interface trap generation process: the predictions of the model are in at least semiquantitative agreement with observations previously reported in the literature. The model involves interactions between molecular hydrogen and trivalent silicon dangling bond defects in the oxide (E′ centers) and at the Si/SiO₂ interface (P_b centers). Our model is primarily directed at interface trap generation caused by ionizing radiation and by hot hole injection phenomena observed in short channel transistors.