Abstract
The crystallized ZrO 2 high-K gate dielectrics treated with in-situ atomic layer doping of nitrogen using remote N 2 and NH 3 plasma were investigated, to suppress the capacitance equivalent thickness (CET), leakage current density (J g ), and interfacial state density (D it ). The stress-induced leakage current (SILC) was reduced significantly as well. The tetragonal/cubic phase of ZrO 2 was formed by post metallization annealing at a low temperature of 450 °C to offer a high dielectric constant of the gate oxide. The in-situ atomic layer doping of nitrogen using the remote NH 3 plasma contributes to the deactivation of the oxygen vacancies and the well passivation of D it . Accordingly, a suppressed J g of 4.79 × 10 -5 A cm -2 and D it of 3.96 × 10 11 cm -2 eV -1 were realized in the crystallized ZrO 2 gate oxide with a low CET of 1.35 nm. The gate dielectrics were also optically examined by the photoluminescence from the high-K/Si interface, indicating that the D it is highly correlated with the hydrogen passivation originating from the remote NH 3 plasma. The results indicate that in-situ atomic layer doping of nitrogen is an applicable and effective technique to improve the electrical properties of crystallized gate dielectrics in the advanced metal-oxide-semiconductor devices.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 214-220 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Applied Surface Science |
Volume | 305 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 Jun 30 |
Keywords
- Atomic layer deposition
- High-K gate dielectrics
- In-situ atomic layer doping
- Remote plasma
- Zirconium oxide
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Chemistry
- Condensed Matter Physics
- General Physics and Astronomy
- Surfaces and Interfaces
- Surfaces, Coatings and Films