Impact of high-power impulse magnetron sputtering pulse width on the nucleation, crystallization, microstructure, and ferroelectric properties of hafnium oxide thin films

Jaszewski, Samantha T.; Fields, Shelby S.; Chung, Ching-Chang; Jones, Jacob L.; Orson, Keithen G.; Reinke, Petra; Ihlefeld, Jon F.

doi:10.1116/6.0003307

Title: Impact of high-power impulse magnetron sputtering pulse width on the nucleation, crystallization, microstructure, and ferroelectric properties of hafnium oxide thin films

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2024 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0003307· OSTI ID:2323992

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Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States)
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (United States)

The impact of the high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) pulse width on the crystallization, microstructure, and ferroelectric properties of undoped HfO₂ films is investigated. HfO₂ films were sputtered from a hafnium metal target in an Ar/O₂ atmosphere, varying the instantaneous power density by changing the HiPIMS pulse width with fixed time-averaged power and pulse frequency. The pulse width is shown to affect the ion-to-neutral ratio in the depositing species with the shortest pulse durations leading to the highest ion fraction. In situ x-ray diffraction measurements during crystallization demonstrate that the HiPIMS pulse width impacts nucleation and phase formation, with an intermediate pulse width of 110 μs stabilizing the ferroelectric phase over the widest temperature range. Although the pulse width impacts the grain size with the lowest pulse width resulting in the largest grain size, the grain size does not strongly correlate with the phase content or ferroelectric behavior in these films. In conclusion, these results suggest that precise control over the energetics of the depositing species may be beneficial for forming the ferroelectric phase in this material.

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Research Organization:: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0003525; SC0021118; DGE-1842490; 2004326; ECCS-2025064

OSTI ID:: 2323992

Report Number(s):: SAND-2024-02898J

Journal Information:: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A, Vol. 42, Issue 2; ISSN 0734-2101

Publisher:: American Vacuum Society / AIPCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
Crystallization
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Magnetron sputtering
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Title: Impact of high-power impulse magnetron sputtering pulse width on the nucleation, crystallization, microstructure, and ferroelectric properties of hafnium oxide thin films

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