Electrical studies of semiconductor–dielectric interfaces

In this paper, a review of the physical properties and characterization techniques of semiconductor–dielectric interfaces, and also of the dielectrics is presented. A good interface between the semiconductor and the dielectric with low defect density as well as a high-quality dielectric are critical for the performance characteristics of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors. While this paper is focused on silicon–silicon dioxide systems, other interfaces with novel gate dielectrics are also discussed. The main experimental techniques that are used to obtain the density of interface states and related parameters such as capture cross sections are described, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The adaptation of these techniques to interfaces with novel dielectrics is also discussed. Finally, a discussion of some experimental techniques used to study the physical properties of dielectrics is presented.