What Can Near-Zero-Field Magnetoresistance Tell Us about Defects in Semiconductors?

We show, for a technologically significant case, that near-zero-field magnetoresistance (NZFMR) offers similar analytical power to that of electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR) for studying metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) reliability. NZFMR has significant practical advantages over EDMR in experimental simplicity. NZFMR is used to track the generation of interface trapping centers in Si MOSFETs during accelerated breakdown studies. The technique successfully identifies the P_b0 and P_b1 dangling bond centers via hyperfine interactions with ²⁹Si atoms hosting some of the dangling bonds. NZFMR also provides information about charge capture kinetics at these interface defect sites. The kinetics are explored using the bipolar amplification effect measurement, the theory of which has recently been significantly advanced [1].

[1] Ashton, James P., et al. Journal of Applied Physics 130.13 (2021): 134501.