Electrical and Physical Properties of Er-Doped HfO[sub 2] High-k Dielectrics Prepared by Atomic Layer Deposition

Abstract

In this article, Er-doped HfO 2 high-k dielectrics (with ∼4 and 7% Er) were prepared by atomic layer deposition, and their electrical and physical properties were studied. With the incorporation of a small amount of Er (up to 7% in this work), it is observed that (i) the work function of devices (TiN metal gate) can be modulated toward the Si conduction bandedge and that (ii) the thermal stability of the HfO 2 film is improved, as evidenced by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction studies. In addition, the k-value and leakage properties of Er-doped HfO 2 are comparable to those of HfO 2 .