It was demonstrated that pre-existing Si dangling bonds in Al-gate metal-oxide semiconductor capacitors on (111) Si substrates were passivated during hot-electron stressing, while unidentified defects were simultaneously generated. This degradation behavior resembled the interface degradation that was caused by atomic H from a remote plasma; thus suggesting that H release by hot electrons led to interface degradation. However, the Si dangling bond was not the predominant interface defect.

E.Cartier, J.H.Stathis: Applied Physics Letters, 1996, 69[1], 103-5