Performance and reliability improvement of La2O3/Al2O3 nanolaminates using ultraviolet ozone post treatment**Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61604016 and 51501017) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China (Grant No. 310831161003).

Abstract

La-based binary or ternary compounds have recently attracted a great deal of attention as a potential candidate to replace the currently used Hf-based dielectrics in future transistor and capacitor devices for sub-22 generation. However, the hygroscopic nature of La2O3 hampers its application as dielectrics in electron devices. To cope with this challenge, ultraviolet (UV) ozone post treatment is proposed to suppress the moisture absorption in the H2O-based atomic layer deposition (ALD) La2O3/Al2O3 nanolaminates which is related to the residual hydroxyl/hydrogen groups after annealing. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) results indicate that the moisture absorption of the H2O-based ALD La2O3/Al2O3 nanolaminates is efficiently suppressed after 600 °C annealing, and the electrical characteristics are greatly improved.