IEC TS 62607-8-4:2024

Nanomanufacturing – Key control characteristics – Part 8-4: Metal-oxide interfacial devices – Activation energy of electronic trap states: Low-frequency-noise spectroscopy

IEC 62607-8-4:2024 specifies a measurement protocol to determine the key control characteristic
- activation energy of electronic trap states
for metal-oxide interfacial devices by
- low-frequency-noise spectroscopy
The noise spectra peak temperatures are obtained within a designated temperature range. Activation energies are then calculated based on the frequency dependence of the peak temperatures to analyse the energy levels associated with the electronic trap states. The activation energy is determined by the temperature dependence of the capture time at electron traps under the assumption that it is described by an Arrhenius function.
- In metal-oxide interfacial devices, electrical conductance is observed through an oxide nanolayer sandwiched between metal electrodes.
- The size of the conductive path in metal-oxide interfacial devices is dependent on the current value and is usually nanoscale in diameter, taking the form of a filamentary wire. This evaluation method is useful for analysing the electronic trap states in nanowires and other miniaturized devices that have nanolayers.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 15-Dec-2024
• ICS: 07.120 - Nanotechnologies
• Technical Committee: TC 113 - Nanotechnology for electrotechnical products and systems
• Drafting Committee: WG 3 - TC 113/WG 3
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 16-Dec-2024
• Completion Date: 10-Jan-2025

Overview

IEC TS 62607-8-4:2024 - Nanomanufacturing – Key control characteristics, Part 8-4 - specifies a standardized measurement protocol to determine the activation energy of electronic trap states in metal‑oxide interfacial devices using low‑frequency‑noise spectroscopy (LFNS). The Technical Specification describes how to extract noise‑spectra peak temperatures across a temperature range, and how to calculate activation energies from the frequency dependence of those peaks under the assumption that trap capture times follow an Arrhenius behaviour.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Measurement principle: Use LFNS to detect temperature‑dependent peaks in noise spectra that indicate electronic trap activity.
• Data extraction: Determine peak temperatures at multiple frequencies and derive activation energies from frequency vs. peak‑temperature relations.
• Arrhenius assumption: Activation energy is calculated assuming the temperature dependence of trap capture time follows an Arrhenius function.
• Device scope: Applies to metal‑oxide interfacial devices - an oxide nanolayer sandwiched between metal electrodes, often exhibiting nanoscale filamentary conductive paths.
• Protocol elements included: sample preparation of the device under test (DUT), experimental setup and apparatus, measurement sequence, data analysis (peak determination, interpretation), and reporting requirements.
• Supporting material: Informative annexes provide case studies, example measurements, TEM images, and example data analysis (noise spectra, Arrhenius plots).

Practical applications

• Characterizing electronic trap states that influence electrical resistance and reliability in nanoscale metal‑oxide devices.
• Evaluating materials and processes for nano‑enabled devices used in IoT, AI and neuromorphic hardware, where analogue resistance change and nanoscale conduction paths are critical.
• Supporting device R&D, failure analysis, process control and quality assurance by providing repeatable LFNS measurement and analysis methods.
• Useful for analysis of nanowires, filamentary devices and other miniaturized structures with oxide nanolayers.

Who should use this standard

• Materials scientists and device physicists studying trap states and conduction mechanisms.
• Test laboratories and metrology groups performing nanoscale device characterization.
• Semiconductor and memory device engineers working on metal‑oxide interfacial technologies.
• Standards bodies and product developers needing a reproducible protocol for reporting trap activation energies.

Related standards

• IEC 62607 series - Nanomanufacturing - Key control characteristics (other parts).
• ISO/TS 80004-1 - Nanotechnologies - Vocabulary (referenced for terminology).
• Prepared by IEC Technical Committee 113 (Nanotechnology for electrotechnical products and systems).

Keywords: IEC TS 62607-8-4:2024, low‑frequency‑noise spectroscopy, LFNS, activation energy, electronic trap states, metal‑oxide interfacial devices, oxide nanolayer, filamentary conductance, Arrhenius, nanomanufacturing.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC TS 62607-8-4 ®
Edition 1.0 2024-12
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
Nanomanufacturing – Key control characteristics –
Part 8-4: Metal-oxide interfacial devices – Activation energy of electronic trap
states: Low-frequency-noise spectroscopy

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IEC TS 62607-8-4 ®
Edition 1.0 2024-12
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATION
Nanomanufacturing – Key control characteristics –

Part 8-4: Metal-oxide interfacial devices – Activation energy of electronic trap

states: Low-frequency-noise spectroscopy

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 07.120  ISBN 978-2-8327-0080-8

– 2 – IEC TS 62607-8-4:2024 © IEC 2024
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms, definitions, and abbreviated terms . 7
3.1 Terms and definitions . 7
3.1.1 General terms . 8
3.1.2 Terms specific to this document . 8
3.2 Abbreviated terms . 8
4 General . 9
4.1 Measurement principle . 9
4.2 Sample preparation of the DUT . 9
4.3 Experimental setup and apparatus . 9
5 Measurement procedure . 10
6 Data analysis and interpretation of results . 11
6.1 General . 11
6.2 Peak determination . 11
6.3 Interpretation of results . 11
7 Reporting data . 12
Annex A (informative) Case study: Low-frequency-noise spectroscopy measurement
of metal-oxide interfacial device . 13
A.1 General . 13
A.2 LFNS measurement . 13
A.3 Data analysis . 14
Annex B (informative) Case study: Low-frequency-noise spectroscopy measurement
of metal-oxide interfacial device . 18
B.1 General . 18
B.2 LFNS measurement . 18
B.3 Data analysis . 19
Annex C (informative) Case study: Low-frequency-noise spectroscopy measurement
of metal-oxide interfacial device (electrochemical-type [6]) . 21
C.1 General . 21
C.2 LFNS measurement . 21
C.3 Data analysis . 22
Bibliography . 24

Figure 1 – An example of sample placement and experimental system . 9
Figure A.1 – Transmission electron microscopy image of TiN/TaO /TiN . 13
x
Figure A.2 – Changes in noise spectra as a function of temperature at the given
frequencies . 14
Figure A.3 – Changes in noise spectra as a function of temperature at the given
frequencies with the fitting curves to determine the peak temperatures . 15
Figure A.4 – Arrhenius plot using the peak temperatures . 16
Figure A.5 – Arrhenius plot using the peak temperatures, ln( T ∕f ) . 17

Figure B.1 – Changes in noise spectra as a function of temperature at the given
frequencies with the fitting curves to determine the peak temperatures . 19
Figure B.2 – Arrhenius plot using the peak temperatures . 20
Figure B.3 – Arrhenius plot using the peak temperatures, ln(T ∕f) . 20
Figure C.1 – Transmission electron microscopy image of Cu/Ta O /Pt . 21
2 5
Figure C.2 – Changes in noise spectra as a function of temperature at the given
frequencies with the fitting curves to determine the peak temperatures . 22
Figure C.3 – Arrhenius plot using the peak temperatures . 23
Figure C.4 – Arrhenius plot using the peak temperatures, ln(T ∕f) . 23

Table 1 – LFNS measurement sequence and parameters . 10
Table A.1 – LFNS measurement sequence and parameters . 14
Table A.2 – Peak temperature at each frequency . 15
Table A.3 – Peak temperature at each frequency, ln(T ∕f) . 16
Table A.4 – R values and activation energies . 17
Table B.1 – LFNS measurement sequence and parameters . 19
Table B.2 – R values and activation energies . 20
Table C.1 – LFNS measurement sequence and parameters . 22
Table C.2 – R values and activation energies . 23

– 4 – IEC TS 62607-8-4:2024 © IEC 2024
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
NANOMANUFACTURING –
KEY CONTROL CHARACTERISTICS –
Part 8-4: Metal-oxide interfacial devices – Activation energy of electronic
trap states: Low-frequency-noise spectroscopy

FOREWORD
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shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
IEC TS 62607-8-4 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 113: Nanotechnology for
electrotechnical products and systems. It is a Technical Specification.
The text of this Technical Specification is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
113/865/DTS 113/876/RVDTS
Full information on the voting for its approval can be found in the report on voting indicated in
the above table.
The language used for the development of this Technical Specification is English.

This document was drafted in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, and developed in
accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 and ISO/IEC Directives, IEC Supplement, available
at www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs. The main document types developed by IEC are
described in greater detail at www.iec.ch/publications.
A list of all parts in the IEC 62607 series, published under the general title Nanomanufacturing –
Key control characteristics, can be found on the IEC website.
Future subparts of IEC 62607-8 will carry the new general title Metal-oxide interfacial devices
as cited above. Titles of existing subparts in this series will be updated at the time of the next
edition.
The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under webstore.iec.ch in the data related to the
specific document. At this date, the document will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn, or
• revised.
– 6 – IEC TS 62607-8-4:2024 © IEC 2024
INTRODUCTION
Nano-enabled metal-oxide interfaces, such as an oxide nanolayer sandwiched by metal
electrodes, are the essential components of IoT and AI devices for computing. Nano-enabled
functions derived from the nanoscale metal-oxide interface and the oxide nanolayer appear,
such as a significant change in electrical resistance. Analogue resistance change is the typical
characteristic which possesses the large potential for non-von Neumann information processing.
More concretely, the metal-oxide interfacial device is an indispensable element in the product-
sum circuit that records the learning process as the analogue resistance change. It is known
that the analogue resistance change occurs electronically in oxide interfacial layers regardless
of the filamentary conductance. Since the electrical resistance is affected by electrons
scattering in a material, it is extremely important to standardize the technique for evaluating
electron traps in that material. Low-frequency-noise spectroscopy (LFNS) measurement is the
powerful and unique tool to evaluate the activation energy of the electron trap states, which is
one of the most essential electronic properties – especially in devices with the nano-scaled
conductive path.
This document specifies a measurement protocol to evaluate the electronic trap states by LFNS
in nano-enabled metal-oxide interfacial devices.

NANOMANUFACTURING –
KEY CONTROL CHARACTERISTICS –
Part 8-4: Metal-oxide interfacial devices – Activation energy of electronic
trap states: Low-frequency-noise spectroscopy

1 Scope
This part of IEC 62607 specifies a measurement protocol to determine the key control
characteristic
• activation energy of electronic trap states
for metal-oxide interfacial devices by
• low-frequency-noise spectroscopy
The noise spectra peak temperatures are obtained within a designated temperature range.
Activation energies are then calculated based on the frequency dependence of the peak
temperatures to analyse the energy levels associated with the electronic trap states. The
activation energy is determined by the temperature dependence of the capture time at electron
traps under the assumption that it is described by an Arrhenius function.
– In metal-oxide interfacial devices, electrical conductance is observed through an oxide
nanolayer sandwiched between metal electrodes.
– The size of the conductive path in metal-oxide interfacial devices is dependent on the
current value and is usually nanoscale in diameter, taking the form of a filamentary wire.
This evaluation method is useful for analysing the electronic trap states in nanowires and
other miniaturized devices that have nanolayers.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies.
For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
ISO/TS 80004-1, Nanotechnologies – Vocabulary – Part 1: Core terms
3 Terms, definitions, and abbreviated terms
3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/TS 80004-1 and the
following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following
addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp

– 8 – IEC TS 62607-8-4:2024 © IEC 2024
3.1.1 General terms
3.1.1.1
device under test
DUT
sample attached to an apparatus for evaluation of a specific physical property such as electrical
resistance or current–voltage behaviour
3.1.2 Terms specific to this document
3.1.2.1
electronic trap state
state which traps a carrier, for example, an electron, in the nanoscale metal-oxide interface and
the oxide nanolayer
3.1.2.2
metal-oxide interfacial device
electronic component that consists of metal electrodes and an oxide nanolayer
EXAMPLE Non-volatile and volatile memories, and metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).
Note 1 to entry: The oxide layer is located between the metal electrodes, and the electrical conductance is observed
through this layer.
Note 2 to entry: Metal-oxide interfacial devices play an important role in various electronic applications and are
commonly used in various fields such as electronics, electrical engineering, and energy storage.
3.1.2.3
activation energy
measure of the minimum energy required to initiate a thermally activated electronic, physical,
or chemical process
Note 1 to entry: The activation energy is an important parameter that is often described by the Arrhenius equation,
which models the temperature dependence of chemical reaction rates and other thermally activated processes.
3.1.2.4
low-frequency-noise spectroscopy
technique used to measure and analyse low-frequency fluctuations in electrical signals in
electronic devices to gain information about the underlying physical mechanisms causing the
noise
Note 1 to entry: The fluctuations are analysed in the frequency domain to determine the spectral distribution of the
noise and to obtain information about the underlying physical mechanisms causing the noise.
Note 2 to entry: Low-frequency-noise spectroscopy is commonly used to study the properties of materials and
devices at the nanoscale, including the behaviour of electrons, the distribution of energy levels, and the dynamics of
charge transport. The mechanism of noise is evaluated in terms of the number of charge carriers fluctuating due to
the capture and emission processes of carriers at electron traps with certain activation energies.
Note 3 to entry: The information obtained from low-frequency-noise spectroscopy can be used to improve the
performance and reliability of electronic devices, as well as to gain insights into the fundamental physics of materials
and systems.
3.2 Abbreviated terms
AI artificial intelligence
IoT Internet of Things
LFNS low-frequency-noise spectroscopy

4 General
4.1 Measurement principle
To measure the activation energy for electronic trap states in metal-oxide interfacial devices,
low-frequency-noise spectroscopy can be used to determine the energy required for an electron
to escape from a trap state.
To perform this measurement, a metal-oxide interfacial device is typically subjected to a small
bias voltage and the low frequency noise signals are measured over a range of temperatures
between T and T . The noise signals are then analysed to determine the activation energy of
1 2
the trap states, with which electrons fluctuate due to the capture and emission processes.
The activation energy is
...