Area-dependent dielectric breakdown: an overlooked yet inevitable physical phenomenon (invited)

Traditionally, area-dependent dielectric breakdown (BD) is understood to obey an inverse area-scaling law, where defect generation is regarded as the sole contributing factor. Most theoretical modeling approaches, including multi-scale simulations, typically regard BD as defect-induced conduction in a non-competitive context. Such methodologies often overlook the influence of defect competition, which results in area-dependent BD and the transformation of dielectrics from their pristine condition to degraded and fragmented states at BD. Recent studies [1] - [3] addressing reverse and diminishing area-scaling effects in hydrogen-doped HfO2have highlighted large discrepancies between traditional area-dependent BD interpretations and contemporary understanding [3]. In this work, we employ a physics-based statistical model to elucidate the complex mechanisms underlying BD, demonstrating how the interplay between defect annihilation and generation produces diverse BD area scaling behaviors.