The performance and reliability of aggressively-scaled field effect transistors were determined in large part by electronically-active defects and defect precursors at the Si–SiO2 and internal SiO2-high-k dielectric interfaces. A crucial aspect of reducing interfacial defects and defect precursors was associated with bond-strain-driven bonding interfacial self-organizations that take place during high temperature annealing in inert ambients. The interfacial self-organizations and intrinsic interface defects were addressed through an extension of bond constraint theory from bulk glasses to interfaces between non-crystalline SiO2 and crystalline Si, and non-crystalline and crystalline alternative gate dielectric materials.

Bond Strain and Defects at Si–SiO2 and Internal Dielectric Interfaces in High-k Gate Stacks. G.Lucovsky, J.C.Phillips: Journal of Physics - Condensed Matter, 2004, 16[44], S5139-51