The discovery of a third breakdown: phenomenon, characterization and applications

Abstract In the history of metal–oxide–semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), quality its gate oxide has been a cornerstone present semiconductor integrated circuits. The changes dielectrics from conventional SiO 2 into high-k materials brought us more challenges in various aspects transistors, especially reliability improvement when MOSFET dimension is continually scaled. Depending on making high-quality dielectrics, it plays major role for manufacture high-end CPU with ultra-low power and low leakage, nowadays. There are two well-known breakdowns MOSFET’s history. Not until 2015, world first observation breakdown, different soft hard named dielectric fuse dFuse, was discovered, as result CMOS technology moving metal-gate (HKMG) era. this paper, we will introduce inception Ig-RTN (random telegraph noise) measurement understanding breakdown 2008 briefly describe fundamentals RTN technique. Later version 2.0 measurement, Ig-transient, successfully developed to delineate path HKMG which third discovered. Its origin physical mechanism have discussed. This relies leakage MOSFET, movement oxygen ions vacancies dielectric. Sophisticated technique also identify traps generated laid foundations trap generation function time. end, applications memories presented, one use one-time-programming memory other switching phenomena involved operation resistance random-access (RRAM).