Observation of Radiation-Induced Leakage Current Defects in MOS Oxides with Multifrequency Electrically Detected Magnetic Resonance and Near-Zero-Field Magnetoresistance

We report high and low-frequency electrically detected magnetic resonance measurements and near-zero-field magnetoresistance measurements on radiation-induced leakage currents in irradiated Si/SiO₂ metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) structures. This study identifies the chemical and physical nature of atomic-scale defects involved in radiation-induced leakage currents in SiO₂ using an analytical technique. Our results suggest that trap-assisted tunneling through these Si/SiO₂ structures involves Pb centers (silicon dangling bonds at the Si/SiO₂ interface), rather than only E' centers (oxygen vacancies in the SiO₂ film). We utilize simulations of the defects' resonance spectra to provide further evidence for the involvement of interface Pb centers in the radiation-induced leakage currents. These simulations also explore the possibility of additional E' center involvement in the radiation-induced leakage currents.