Patent ID: 6617179
Filing Date: 2003-09-09
Classification: G11C,H01L

Abstract:
A method for qualifying an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer including a first oxide layer, a nitride layer and a control oxide layer in a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps of:(a) determining a first plurality of dielectric breakdown voltages and a first plurality of lifetimes for the ONO layer utilizing a plurality of ramp rates for each of a first plurality of ONO layers having a particular nitride layer thickness and a plurality of control oxide layer thicknesses; (b) determining a second plurality of dielectric breakdown voltages and asecond plurality of lifetimes for the ONO layer utilizing the plurality of ramp rates for each of a second plurality of ONO layers having a particular control oxide layer thickness and a plurality of nitride layer thicknesses; (c) determining a field acceleration factor for the ONO layer based on the first plurality of dielectric breakdown voltages and the second plurality of dielectric breakdown voltages; (d) determining an activation energy for the ONO layer based on the first plurality of lifetimes and the second plurality of lifetimes; and (e) determining a lifetime for the ONO layer based upon the field acceleration factor and the activation energy for the ONO layer.