Formation of Al2O3–TiO2 bilayer using atomic layer deposition and its application to dynamic random access memory

Abstract

To enhance film conformality together with electrical property suitable for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) capacitor dielectric, the effects of oxidant and post heat treatment were investigated on aluminum and titanium oxide (Al2O3–TiO2) bilayer (ATO) thin film formed by atomic layer deposition method. For the conformal deposition of Al2O3 thin film, the O3 oxidant required a higher deposition temperature, more than 450 °C, while H2O or combined oxygen sources (H2O+O3) needed a wide range of deposition temperatures ranging from 250 to 450 °C. Conformal deposition of the TiO2 thin film was achieved at around 325 °C regardless of the oxidants. The charge storage capacitance, measured from the ATO bilayer (4 nm Al2O3 and 2 nm TiO2) deposited at 450 °C for Al2O3 and 325 °C for TiO2 with O3 oxidant on the phosphine-doped poly silicon trench, showed about 15% higher value than that of 5 nm Al2O3 single layer thin film without any increase of leakage current. To maintain the improved electrical property of the ATO bilayer for DRAM application, such as enhanced charge capacitance without increase of leakage current, upper electrode materials and post heat treatments after electrode formation must be selected carefully.