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The chemical environment of N in nitrided aluminum oxide films on Si͑001͒ was investigated by angle-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Two different bonding configurations were identified, namely N-Al and NO -Al, suggesting the formation of the AlN and AlO 2 N compounds. The near-surface region is N-rich and AlN compounds therein are more abundant than AlO 2 N, whereas in bulk regions the proportions of these two compounds are comparable. Rapid thermal annealing at 1000°C for 10 s in vacuum or in low-pressure oxygen atmosphere led to the breakage of N-Al bonds in AlN, releasing N and Al. The mobile N is partly lost by desorption from the surface and partly fixed by reacting with the network to form AlO 2 N. The released Al atoms, which remain immobile, react with oxygen from the film or from the gas phase. Characterization of the films outermost surfaces by low-energy ion scattering revealed that the migration of Si atoms from the substrate across the films, reaching the surface and being oxidized therein, is not entirely inhibited in AlON/Si, although this migration is largely reduced as compared to nonnitrided Al 2 O 3 films.

Room temperature synthesis of porous SiO 2 thin films by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition Growth and effects of remote-plasma oxidation on thin films of HfO 2 prepared by metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition J.Stability of zirconium silicate films on Si under vacuum and O 2 annealing

Hafnium interdiffusion studies from hafnium silicate into silicon Appl. Phys. Lett. 79, 4192 (2001); 10.1063/1.1425466 Density difference related to humidity during dry oxidation for ultrathin silicon oxide films Density of ultradry ultrathin silicon oxide films and its correlation with reliability Rapid thermal annealing at 1000°C of (HfO 2 ) 1Ϫx (SiO 2 ) x pseudobinary alloy films deposited on Si were performed in N 2 or O 2 atmospheres. The effects on the atomic transport, structure, and composition were investigated using isotopic substitution of oxygen, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, nuclear reaction analyses, narrow nuclear reaction resonance profiling, and grazing angle x-ray reflection.

LaAlO 3 films were deposited on p-type Si(100) by sputtering from a LaAlO3 target. C×V characteristics were determined in nonannealed and O2-annealed capacitors having LaAlO3 films as dielectric and RuO2 as top electrode. Thermal annealing in O2 atmosphere reduced flat band voltage to acceptable values for advanced Si-based devices. O16–O18 isotopic substitution was characterized by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and nuclear resonant reaction profiling. Chemical analysis of the films was accomplished by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrical improvements observed after thermal annealing in O2 were attributed to the incorporation of oxygen from the gas phase, possibly healing oxygen vacancies in the films and providing mobile oxygen to the interface.

Hafnium interdiffusion studies from hafnium silicate into silicon Appl. Phys. Lett. 79, 4192 (2001); 10.1063/1.1425466Electrical properties of hafnium silicate gate dielectrics deposited directly on silicon

The atomic structure of HfSiO and HfSiON was investigated before and after thermal annealing using x-ray diffraction and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. In HfSiO, the Hf atoms are arranged in a monoclinic HfO 2 structure with Hf as second nearest neighbors, while Si is in a SiO 2 environment. Thermal annealing induces crystallization of HfSiO with subtle changes in Hf-Hf distances. In the case of HfSiON, a stable structure is observed around the Hf atoms, which remains unaffected after annealing. Nitrogen is present in the first coordination shell of the Hf atoms, with Si in a SiON environment.

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