Effects of nitridation by N2O or NO on the electrical properties of thin gate or tunnel oxides

We have studied the effects of nitridation on the leakage current of thin (7-8 nm) gate or tunnel oxides. A polarity dependence of the tunneling current has been found this behavior is related to the presence of a thin silicon oxynitride layer at the SiO2/Si-substrate interface. The oxynitride layer lowers the tunneling current when electrons are injected from the interface where the oxynitride is located (substrate injection). The current flowing across the oxide when electrons are injected from the opposite interface (gate injection) is not influenced by the oxynitride. The increase of nitrogen concentration leads to a decrease of the tunneling current for substrate electron injection.