A new quantitative hydrogen-based model for ultra-thin oxide breakdown

A new quantitative hydrogen-based model for the degradation and breakdown of ultra-thin SiO/sub 2/ gate oxides is presented. The model is based on the quantum mechanical description of chemical reactions which involve protons and oxygen vacancies both at the Si-SiO/sub 2/ interface (suboxide bonds) and in the oxide bulk. Comparison with experiments shows that the values of the model parameters are compatible with recent first-principles calculations.