Non-Destructive Characterization and Metrology for Ultra-Thin High-k Dielectric Layers

Champaneria, R.; Mack, P.; White, R. G.; Wolstenholme, John

doi:10.1063/1.1622463

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 5 publications

(9 reference statements)

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“…For the ARXPS modelling, a multi-stack structure with an ultra-thin layer of adventitious carbon, a thin layer of ZrO 2 , an ultra-thin interfacial layer (IL) of zirconium germanate with composition of Zr 0.5 Ge 0.5 O 2 , and an ultra-thin layer of Al 2 O 3 was used after taking into consideration the respective inelastic mean free paths (IMFPs) and attenuation lengths from the appropriate NIST database into a multi-stack model using the maximum entropy approach. 25,40,41,49,50 The elemental depth profiles obtained from the ARXPS modelling are plotted in Fig. 3(a) and show the presence of a germanium rich ultra-thin interfacial layer.…”

Section: Xps and Arxps: Additional Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Role of Ge and Si substrates in higher-k tetragonal phase formation and interfacial properties in cyclical atomic layer deposition-anneal Hf1−xZrxO2/Al2O3 thin film stacks

Dey

Tapily²,

Consiglio³

et al. 2016

Journal of Applied Physics

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Using a five-step atomic layer deposition (ALD)-anneal (DADA) process, with 20 ALD cycles of metalorganic precursors followed by 40 s of rapid thermal annealing at 1073 K, we have developed highly crystalline Hf 1Àx Zr x O 2 (0 x 1) thin films (<7 nm) on $1 nm ALD Al 2 O 3 passivated Ge and Si substrates for applications in higher-k dielectric metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors below 10 nm technology node. By applying synchrotron grazing incidence x-ray d-spacing maps, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and angle-resolved XPS, we have identified a monoclinic to tetragonal phase transition with increasing ZrO 2 content, elucidated the role of the Ge vs Si substrates in complete tetragonal phase formation (CTPF), and determined the interfacial characteristics of these technologically relevant films. The ZrO 2 concentration required for CTPF is lower on Ge than on Si substrates (x $ 0.5 vs. x $ 0.86), which we attribute as arising from the growth of an ultra-thin layer of metal germanates between the Hf 1Àx Zr x O 2 and Al 2 O 3 /Ge, possibly during the first deposition and annealing cycle. Due to Ge-induced tetragonal phase stabilization, the interfacial metal germanates could act as a template for the subsequent preferential growth of the tetragonal Hf 1Àx Zr x O 2 phase following bottom-up crystallization during the DADA ALD process. We surmise that the interfacial metal germanate layer also function as a diffusion barrier limiting excessive Ge uptake into the dielectric film. An ALD Al 2 O 3 passivation layer of thickness !1.5 nm is required to minimize Ge diffusion for developing highly conformal and textured HfO 2 based higher-k dielectrics on Ge substrates using the DADA ALD process. Published by AIP Publishing.

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Section: Xps and Arxps: Additional Informationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Compositional depth profiles are constructed from the ARXPS data using a maximum entropy approach 40,41 and the results are plotted in Figs. 3(a) and 3(b).…”

Section: Identification Of the Interfacial Layer (Il)mentioning

confidence: 99%