Abstract
Securing the thermal robustness of thin hafnium oxide (HfO2) film on the semiconductor surface is an important technical issue in the fabrication of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor devices, as the HfO2-based high-k gate stacks usually undergo high-temperature processes. In this study, the structural development of thin HfO2 film on a Ge surface during postdeposition annealing in an ultrahigh vacuum was examined to explore the origin for the initial degradation of thin HfO2 film. Void nucleation and subsequent two-dimensional void growth take place at 780–840 °C, while the chemical composition of the remaining Hf oxide is virtually stable. Both the void nucleation and growth processes show similar larger activation energy of about 10 eV. Based on the observed manner of void growth and the estimated activation energies, the authors propose that mass transport on the HfO2 surface is responsible for void nucleation in the HfO2 films on Ge. The authors also compare the present results with the previous studies on HfO2/Si structures, and suggest that similar surface process leads to the local Hf silicidation.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.