Advanced Modeling and Characterization of the Poole-Frenkel Effect in Dielectrics and Semiconductors

经典的Poole-Frenkel（PF）效应是电荷载流子从晶体和半导体中的库仑吸引陷阱的热发射，通过电场增强。 这种机制导致电子材料中的电流高于理想电流，包括传统氮化硅、Si 3 N4和SiO2中的漏电流;高介电常数材料（如Ta 2 O 5和BaSrTiO 3）中的漏电流，这些材料在DRAM和MOSFET中具有很好的栅极介电常数;以及碳化硅（SiC）二极管中的增强电流。 本研究的目的是研究PF效应的先进模型和实验技术，以表征电子器件和材料中的PF传导。 我们的主要目标是：（i）研究使用费米-狄拉克函数来描述陷阱布居统计的PF模型，同时仍然结合自由电子密度的玻尔兹曼近似。 在高于饱和的电压下对电流进行建模。 (ii)研究这个模型作为温度的函数。 确定它是否预测I-V（T）曲线在饱和时的收敛，正如我们早期的研究所表明的那样。 (iii)研究这个模型对我们测量饱和和陷阱电离势的技术的影响。 (iv)制作了含Ta 2 O 5的MIS结构，测量了I-V（T）曲线，寻找饱和点，并验证了我们的通用技术。 (v)首次使用费米-狄拉克函数描述陷阱和自由电子布居统计。 (vi)将该模型应用于商用模拟器中，对6 H-SiC p-n二极管进行了模拟。 本研究将加深我们对PF效应的理解，并提高电子器件中PF效应建模的准确性。

The classical Poole-Frenkel (PF) effect is the thermal emission of charge carriers from Coulombic attractive traps in the bulk of dielectrics and semiconductors, enhanced by an electric field. This mechanism results in higher than ideal currents in electronic materials, including leakage currents in conventional dielectrics, Si3N4 and SiO2; leakage in high dielectric constant materials such as Ta2O5 and BaSrTiO3, which hold great promise as gate dielectrics in DRAMs and MOSFETs; and enhanced current in Silicon Carbide (SiC) diodes. The research objective is to investigate advanced models of the PF effect and experimental techniques to characterize PF conduction in electronic devices and materials. Our primary goals are: (i) Investigate a PF model using the Fermi-Dirac function to describe the trap population statistics, while still incorporating the Boltzmann approximation for the free electron density. Model the current at voltages above saturation. (ii) Investigate this model as a function of temperature. Determine if it predicts convergence of I-V(T) curves at saturation, as our earlier research suggests. (iii) Investigate the implications of this model on our technique for measuring saturation and trap ionization potential. (iv) Fabricate MIS structures with Ta2O5, measure I-V(T) curves looking for saturation, and verify our general technique. (v) Use the Fermi-Dirac function to describe both trap and free electron population statistics for the first time. (vi) Incorporate the model in a commercial simulator, and simulate 6H-SiC p-n diodes. This research will enhance our understanding of the PF effect, and improve the accuracy of modeling this effect in electronic devices.