Trap Density Dependent Inelastic Tunneling in Stress-Induced Leakage Current

Energy loss of electrons relevant to stress-induced leakage current (SILC) is investigated using the quantum yield of impact ionization. The energy loss is found to be dependent on electron fluence during constant current Fowler-Nordheim stressing. The energy loss value is also found to closely correlate with the total amount of SILC. As a possible explanation, we propose that several different types of neutral traps with different values of energy loss are involved in the SILC process.