Simulation of the Breakdown Spots Spatial Distribution in High-K Dielectrics and Model Validation Using the Spatstat Package for R Language

Abstract

The application of successive high-voltage sweeps to the gate electrode of metal/MgO/InP capacitors generates multiple breakdown spots distributed over the metal gate that can be regarded, from the spatial statistics viewpoint, as a point pattern set. The spots are associated with filamentary paths running across the oxide layer and are the result of important thermal effects occurring during the current runaway phase of the breakdown event. In this work, we analyze the spatial distribution of the spots using a software package specifically developed to that aim. The package is called Spatstat and forms part of the R language library.