Dual-step grown ternary aluminium zirconium oxide and its characteristics for metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor

Preparation and characterisation of aluminium zirconium oxide for metal‐oxide‐semiconductor capacitor

“…patterns of Al x Zr y O z films grown via wet oxidation from 400 C, 600 C, 800 C, 41 and 1000 C planes for this sample were shifted to a larger diffraction angle of 31.860 and 35.684 , respectively. This observation suggested the presence of smaller Al trivalent cation than Zr 4+ in ZrO 2 lattice, which has triggered a contraction in the lattice, as being verified by the shifting of m-Al x Zr y O z peaks to larger diffraction angles.…”

“…Besides, Raman spectra of Al x Zr y O z films grown at 600 C has revealed the detection of monoclinic phases of F I G U R E 4 Total oxide thickness, dielectric constant, and RMS roughness of the investigated films grown at 400 C, 600 C, 800 C, 41 and 1000 C F I G U R E 5 De-convoluted Raman spectra within the region of (A) 100-220 cm −1 , (B) 220-380 cm −1 , and (C) 400-580 cm −1 of Al x Zr y O z films grown at 400 C, 600 C, 800 C, 41 and 1000 C ZrO 2 (m-ZrO 2 ) at 176.82, 188.89, 220.01, and 474.90 cm −1 as well as tetragonal phase of ZrO 2 (t-ZrO 2 ) at 147.50 cm −1 . [47][48][49] The acquired Raman and HRXRD results have supported the fact that Al x Zr y O z films grown at 600 C was dominated by m-ZrO 2 due to the detection of an additional m-ZrO 2 peak at 474.90 cm −1 as well as the attainment of the smallest area under the peak for t-ZrO 2 phase detected at 147.50 cm −1 when compared with Al x Zr y O z films grown at higher temperatures.…”

“…In addition, tetragonality (c/a) of the samples obtained at 800 C and 1000 C was determined as 1.44 and 1.46, respectively. It was plausible that the similar tetragonal supported the formation of stable tetragonal Al x Zr y O z phase at 800 C and 1000 C. Therefore, in comparison, the magnitude of microstrain change was larger from 400 C to 600 C but F I G U R E 6 Three-dimensional surface topography of Al x Zr y O z films grown at (A) 400 C, (B) 600 C, (C) 800 C, 41 and (D) 1000 C with a minute change for the sample obtained at 800 C and 1000 C ( Figure 2). Figure 6 shows 3-dimensional surface topography of the investigated Al x Zr y O z films grown using wet oxidation technique at different temperatures.…”

“…The calculated crystallite size and microstrain of the investigated Al x Zr y O z films grown via wet oxidation from 400 C, 600 C, 800 C, 41 and 1000 C OH ions to diffuse through the nitrogen barrier layer and thus, these excess H + and OH ions would either transform the Al-Zr alloy films to Al x Zr y O z films or/and fill oxygen related defects in the Al x Zr y O z films. As a result, a transformation of Al x Zr y O z from monoclinic to tetragonal phase was perceived at 800 C, contributing toan abrupt contraction in crystallite size for the tetragonal phase of Al x Zr y O z .…”

“…On the other hand, it also meant that excess oxygen would tend to diffuse through the nitrogen barrier layer to the interface for interfacial oxidation to take place. Inevitably, the formation of the thickest interfacial layer was encouraged, as shown by cross sectional FESEM image of Al x Zr y O z films grown at F I G U R E 3 Cross-sectional field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images of Al x Zr y O z films grown at (A) 400 C, (B) 600 C, (C) 800 C, 41 and (D) 1000 C 1000 C ( Figure 3D). In addition, it was disclosed that an additional layer between Al x Zr y O z films and Si substrate was formed at 1000 C in which the largest total oxide thickness of 183.57 nm was attained by Al x Zr y O z films grown at 1000 C.…”