Stepped I-V characteristics of MIS capacitors in the inversion polarity

Abstract
The inversion‐mode IV characteristic of several kinds of MIS capacitors exhibits a step between steeply rising ranges at low and high voltages. It was found with silicon‐dioxide–silicon‐nitride capacitors on p‐type silicon that current in the low‐voltage range is determined by tunneling from the silicon into the insulator. In the step the current is determied by minority‐carrier supply from the silicon and in the high‐voltage range by avalanching in the silicon depletion layer and by tunneling into the insulator.