Abstract
In this study, we investigated the valence state and chemical bonding state of Pr in a Pr oxide/PrON/Ge structure. We clarified the relationship between the valence state of Pr and the Pr oxide/Ge interfacial reaction using Pr oxide/Ge and Pr oxide/PrON/Ge samples. We found the formation of three Pr oxide phases in Pr oxide films; hexagonal Pr2O3 (h-Pr2O3) (Pr3+), cubic Pr2O3 (c-Pr2O3) (Pr3+), and c-PrO2 (Pr4+). We also investigated the effect of a nitride interlayer on the interfacial reaction in Pr oxide/Ge gate stacks. In a sample with a nitride interlayer (Pr oxide/PrON/Ge), metallic Pr–Pr bonds are also formed in the c-Pr2O3 film. After annealing in H2 ambient, the diffusion of Ge into Pr oxide is not observed in this sample. Pr–Pr bonds probably prevent the interfacial reaction and Ge oxide formation, considering that the oxygen chemical potential of this film is lower than that of a GeO2/Ge system. On the other hand, the rapid thermal oxidation (RTO) treatment terminates the O vacancies and defects in c-Pr2O3. As a result, c-PrO2 with tetravalent Pr is formed in the Pr oxide/PrON/Ge sample with RTO. In this sample, the leakage current density is effectively decreased in comparison with the sample without RTO. Hydrogen termination works effectively in Pr oxide/PrON/Ge samples with and without RTO, and we can achieve an interface state density of as low as 4 ×1011 eV-1·cm-2.
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