Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Studies of thin film growth and oxidation processes for conductive Ti--Al diffusion barrier layers via in situ surface sensitive analytical techniques

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1391237· OSTI ID:40230709
Conducting diffusion barrier layers play a critical role in high-density memory integration. We recently demonstrated that Ti--Al can be used as a diffusion barrier layer for the integration of ferroelectric capacitors with complementary metal--oxide semiconductor devices for the fabrication of nonvolatile ferroelectric random access memories (NVFRAMs). Here, we discuss results from systematic studies designed to understand Ti--Al film growth and oxidation processes using in situ ion beam sputter deposition in conjunction with complementary in situ atomic layer-resolution mass spectroscopy of recoil ion (MSRI) and surface sensitive x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The concurrent MSRI/XPS analysis revealed that amorphous Ti--Al layers produced by tailored sputter-deposition methods are resistant to oxidation to at least 600{sup o}C, and that oxidation occurs only when the a-Ti--Al layers are exposed to oxygen at >600{sup o}C, via the segregation of Ti species to the surface and TiO{sub 2} formation. The a-Ti--Al layers discussed in this letter could be used in the double functionality of a bottom electrode/diffusion barrier for the integration of ferroelectric capacitors with Si substrates for the fabrication of NVFRAMs and other devices. {copyright} 2001 American Institute of Physics.
Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
Sponsoring Organization:
(US)
OSTI ID:
40230709
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 79; ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher:
The American Physical Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English