Screening of High-k Layers in MIS and MIM Capacitors Using Aqueous Chemical Solution Deposition

Abstract

Alternative high-k materials are being researched for future dielectrics in various CMOS applications. We report on the aqueous chemical solution deposition (CSD) technique as an alternative material screening technique applied to ZrO2, Nd2O3, Pr2O3, Eu2O3, and Sm2O3. We used ZrO2 to explore the effect of the different process parameters on dielectric quality and found that proper optimization of these parameters can enhance the film quality to similar levels as for example atomic layer deposition. CSD can also be used to deposit dielectrics for MIM devices, but the preferred 600{degree sign}C anneal temperature to optimize the dielectric quality can be a limiting factor for metals that become insulating when oxidized.