A Sensitivity Map-Based Approach to Profile Defects in MIM Capacitors From ${I}$ – ${V}$ , ${C}$ – ${V}$ , and ${G}$ – ${V}$ Measurements.

We present a defect spectroscopy technique to profile the energy and spatial distribution of defects within a material stack from leakage current (${J}$ – ${V}$), capacitance (${C}$ – ${V}$), and conductance (${G}$ – ${V}$) measurements. The technique relies on the concept of sensitivity maps (SMs) that identify the bandgap regions, where defects affect those electrical characteristics. The information provided by SMs are used to reproduce ${J}$ – ${V}$ , ${C}$ – ${V}$ , and ${G}$ – ${V}$ data measured at different temperatures and frequencies by means of physics-based simulations relying on an accurate description of carrier-defect interactions. The proposed defect spectroscopy technique is applied to ZrO2-based metal–insulator–metal structures of different compositions for dynamic random-access memory capacitor applications. The origin of the observed voltage, temperature, and frequency dependencies of the ${I}$ – ${V}$ , ${C}$ – ${V}$ , and ${G}$ – ${V}$ data is understood, and the atomic structure of the relevant stack defects is identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]