We show that oxygen can be diffused through thin TiN layers to correct flatband voltage offsets in HfO2/SiO2/Si structures, achieving nearly band-edge capacitance voltage characteristics without undue growth of parasitic SiO2. Photoemission reveals that the TiN remains conductive despite mild oxidation, although over-oxidation results in insulating layers. Secondary ionization mass spectroscopy of samples treated with isotopically labeled O18 was used to assess how much oxygen is required to fully passivate the defects caused by thermal processing of metallized HfO2/SiO2/Si devices.
We report the effect of La2O3 capping layers on HfO2/SiO2/Si dielectrics, proposed for use in threshold voltage tuning of field effect transistors. Depth profiling with medium energy ion scattering shows that an initial surface layer of La2O3 diffuses through the HfO2 at elevated temperatures, ultimately converting some of the thin interfacial SiO2 into a silicate. Core-level photoemission measurements indicate that the additional band-bending induced by the La2O3 only appears after diffusion, and the added charge resides between the HfO2 and the substrate.
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