Preliminary investigation of the kinetics of postoxidation rapid thermal anneal induced hole-trap-precursor formation in microelectronic SiO₂ films

Measurements of the growth of E^′ center precursor and hole trap precursor densities versus postoxidation anneal time show that both approach saturation values and that the approach to these values is more rapid at higher temperatures. Our results, at least qualitatively, show that a kinetic component can be added to a predictive thermodynamics-based model of oxide hole trapping. The results also indicate quite strongly that a thermodynamics approach to oxide hole trap precursor modeling is appropriate, i.e., the relevant defect densities approach thermodynamic equilibrium or quasiequilibrium in reasonable times.