Oxide scaling limit for future logic and memory technology

The limit of MOSFET oxide scaling is examined from the viewpoint of reliability. Measurements of the voltage dependence of the defect generation rate and the thickness dependence of the critical defect density, together with the breakdown statistics for ultra-thin oxides, are used to provide a general framework for predicting the lifetime of ultra-thin oxides at operating voltage. It is argued that reliability is the limiting factor for oxide thickness reduction.