A Physics-Based Model of the Dielectric Breakdown in HfO2 for Statistical Reliability Prediction

We present a quantitative physical model describingthe current evolution due to the formation of a conductivefilament responsible for the HfO2 dielectric breakdown. Bylinking the microscopic properties of the stress-generatedelectrical defects to the local power dissipation and to thecorresponding temperature increase along the conductive paththe model reproduces the rapid current increase observed duringthe breakdown. The model successfully simulates theexperimental time-dependent dielectric breakdown distributionsmeasured in HfO2 MIM capacitors under constant voltage stress,thus providing a statistical reliability prediction capability, whichcan be extended to other high-k materials, multilayer stacks,resistive memories based on transition metal oxides, etc.