Showing papers by "City University of Hong Kong published in 1992"
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of post-oxidation N/sub 2/O anneal on conventional thermal oxide are studied, and it is shown that the oxide thickness increase is self-limiting and insensitive to initial oxide thickness, making the thickness of the resulting oxide easy to control.
Abstract: The effects of post-oxidation N/sub 2/O anneal on conventional thermal oxide are studied. The oxide thickness increase resulting from N/sub 2/O anneal is found to be self-limiting and insensitive to initial oxide thickness, which makes the thickness of the resulting oxide easy to control. The N/sub 2/O anneal leads to increased resistance against injection-induced interface-state generation and to reduced hole trapping. No further quality improvement is found when the N/sub 2/O-annealed oxide is subject to an additional reoxidation. This finding confirms that nitrogen incorporation in the absence of hydrogen is responsible for improving the quality of the conventional oxides. >
63 citations
TL;DR: In this article, it was found that increasing N/sub 2/O annealing temperature and time monotonically reduces electron trapping in the resulting oxides, and the improvement increases with oxide thickness.
Abstract: It is found that increasing N/sub 2/O annealing temperature and time monotonically reduces electron trapping in the resulting oxides. The improvement increases with oxide thickness. Reoxidation does not enhance but reduces the improvement. The behavior is different from and simpler to understand than that after NH/sub 3/ annealing, apparently due to the absence of deleterious hydrogen. Hole trapping and interface trap generation are also suppressed by N/sub 2/O annealing, though an optimum anneal condition may exist. Charge to breakdown exhibits modest improvement consistent with reduced electron trapping. >
35 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of injection current density and temperature on time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) of low-pressure thermally reoxidized-nitrided oxides and fluorinated oxides (FOs) with equivalent oxide thicknesses of 100 AA were examined.
Abstract: The effects of injection current density and temperature on time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) of low-pressure thermally reoxidized-nitrided oxides (RNOs) and fluorinated oxides (FOs) with equivalent oxide thicknesses of 100 AA were examined. Time to breakdown for RNO was found to be improved over that for thermal oxide while both the impact ionization coefficient and the activation energy of lifetime are comparable to those of control oxide. On the other hand, no obvious TDDB improvement was observed for FO. This observation, in conjunction with the results for charge trapping measurements at different temperatures, indicates that the lifetime improvement for RNOs might be due to the reduced charge traps in these films. I-V ramp tests have shown that RNO has a comparable density to that of control oxide. >
29 citations
01 Jan 1992
TL;DR: In this article, the N/sub 2/O anneal was used to improve the normal field mobility and current drivability of MOSFETs with 70-110 AA thick furnace gate oxides at both room and liquid nitrogen temperatures.
Abstract: MOSFETs with 70-110 AA thick furnace N/sub 2/O-annealed gate oxides are examined at both room and liquid nitrogen temperatures. The N/sub 2/O anneal not only improves device performance, e.g. by increasing the high normal field mobility and current drivability, but it also suppresses degradation induced by Fowler-Nordheim and channel hot-carrier injection. Random telegraph noise measurements reveal a possible correlation between the interface properties and the mobility. >
7 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the association between the seven human-resource features (spanning three major themes: qualifications and credentials; business and initial public offering (IPO) launch experience; and diversity) of independent audit committee members and the level of underpricing.
Abstract: Purpose – The primary objective of this paper is to examine the association between the seven human-resource features (spanning three major themes: qualifications and credentials; business and initial public offering (IPO) launch experience; and diversity) of independent audit committee members and the level of underpricing. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 410 Singapore IPOs listing on the stock exchange of Singapore from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2006 was used.Findings – Empirical results overall suggest no overwhelming association between the human-resource features of IPO audit committees and underpricing. Rather, the findings suggest only some specific human-resource features (e.g. presence of an independent audit committee member with accounting qualifications and credentials) are of significance. Others (e.g. gender diversity of independent audit committee members) have little or no association. Also, results do not suggest a major category of human-resource features (i.e. qualifications and credentials, business and IPO launch experience, or diversity) is associated with underpricing. Time also does not appear to affect the results. Practical implications – As human-resource features tended to increase rather than lower an IPO's cost of capital, or had not influence at all, our findings generally do not support some policymakers' arguments for the introduction of mandated uniform audit committee structures. Rather, the results support flexibility to determine the properties of the audit committee. Originality/value – This study is one of the first (particularly outside the USA) to investigate linkages between audit committee human-resource features and underpricing. Whilst acknowledging some caveats associated with this study, such as focusing on a single nation, this paper contributes relevant insights to the debate about audit committee effectiveness.
3 citations