In Situ Characterization of Gas-Phase Species Present During Hafnium Oxide Atomic Layer Deposition

Abstract

In this work, the species present in the gas phase during atomic layer deposition of hafnium oxide were investigated in an attempt to gain insight into the chemistry of this system. Hafnium oxide was deposited on a silicon substrate using tetrakis(ethylmethylamino) hafnium, Hf[N(C2H5)(CH3)]4, and water. In situ infrared absorption spectroscopy measurements were performed in a research-grade, horizontal-flow reactor under a range of deposition conditions. Density functional theory quantum calculations of vibrational frequencies of expected species were used to facilitate identification of observed spectral features.