Method for non-damaging charge injection and system thereof

• US 20070152776A1
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nth Tech Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nth Tech Corporation
• Inventors: Potter, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,408,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/186
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/316 Changing physical properties
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28176 with a treatment, e.g. annealing, after the formation of the definitive gate conductor

Abstract

A method and system for injecting charge includes providing a first material on a second material and injecting charge into the first material to trap charge at an interface between the first and second materials. The thickness of the first material is greater than a penetration depth of the injected charge in the first material.

Claims

1. A system for injecting charge, the system comprising:

a first material on a second material with an interface between the first and second materials; and

a charge source positioned to inject charge into the first material to trap charge at an interface between the first and second materials, wherein a thickness of the first material is greater than a penetration depth of the injected charge in the first material.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a conductor on the second material; and

a power source that applies an accelerating potential across the conductor and the charge source for the injected charge.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the applied accelerating potential is at a value where secondary electron yield is less than unity.

4. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the applied accelerating potential is above 3800 eV.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein a portion of the first material where the injected charge has penetrated is removed.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a protective layer on at least a portion of the second material when the portion of the first material is removed.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and second materials are dissimilar insulators.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7 wherein the first material comprises SiO₂ and the second material comprises Si₃N₄.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the charge trapped at the interface is monopole charge.