Post-Deposition Annealing in Nitrous Oxide Ambient of RF-Magnetron Sputtered Y<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Film on Silicon Substrate

Abstract

In this work, effects of post-deposition annealing (PDA) time (15, 30, and 45 min) in nitrous oxide ambient on Y2O3 film deposited on Si substrate using RF-magnetron sputtering have been systematically studied. Y2O3/Si system subjected to PDA time at 15 and 30 min has demonstrated a negative flatband voltage shift but a change to positive flatband voltage shift was observed when PDA time was prolonged to 45 min. The shift from negative to positive flatband voltage with enhancement of PDA time could be related to the accumulation of nitrogen in the Y2O3 gate that acted as negatively trap charge. It was perceived that sample subjected to PDA time at 30 min has demonstrated the best leakage current density-breakdown voltage (J-VB) characteristic. A correlation between the J-VB characteristics with effective oxide charge, slow trap density, interface trap density, and total interface trap density has been discussed.