Effects of N{sub 2} remote plasma nitridation on the structural and electrical characteristics of the HfO{sub 2} gate dielectrics grown using remote plasma atomic layer deposition methods
- Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)
The characteristics of remote plasma atomic layer deposited HfO{sub 2} on Si, which has a very thin SiO{sub 2} interlayer with and without remote plasma nitridation (RPN), have been investigated. Small amounts of N atoms were successfully incorporated by RPN pretreatment, in which the dominant emission species were excited atomic nitrogen (N{sup *}) and excited molecular nitrogen (N{sub 2}{sup *}), into a very thin SiO{sub 2} interlayer for the growth of HfO{sub 2} thin film. The thin ({approx}1.5 nm) intermediate layer containing nitrogen, which was prepared by sequential O{sub 2} and N{sub 2} remote plasma treatment of the Si substrate, can effectively suppress growth of the unintentional interface layer. In addition, it enhances the thermal stability and the resistance to oxygen diffusion during rapid thermal annealing. The HfO{sub 2} film containing the remote plasma nitrided SiO{sub 2} interlayer annealed at 800 deg. C showed a lower equivalent oxide thickness of {approx}1.89 nm and a lower leakage current density (3.78x10{sup -7} A cm{sup -2} at |V{sub G}-V{sub FB}|=2 V) compared to a non-nitrided sample of the same physical thickness. Also, we compared the characteristics of HfO{sub 2} films annealed in two different ambient environments, N{sub 2} and O{sub 2}.
- OSTI ID:
- 20777347
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 24, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1116/1.2198865; (c) 2006 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1553-1813
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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