Temperature Dependence of the Current Conduction Mechanisms in Sm2O3 Thin Films

Abstract

Metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with dielectric film were fabricated and the temperature dependence of the conduction mechanisms was studied. The films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The thickness of was . The dielectric permittivity and the equivalent oxide thickness of capacitors with film were 15.0 and , respectively. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed a silicate interfacial layer formed between and Si. When the aluminum electrode was biased positive, the dominant conduction mechanism was Schottky emission in the temperature range and at an electrical field of . In the temperature range , the dominant conduction mechanism was most likely space-charge-limited conduction. When the aluminum electrode was biased negative, the dominant conduction mechanism in the temperature range from and at an electrical field from was Schottky emission. At and with the electrical field above , the conduction mechanism was Fowler—Nordheim (F–N) tunneling. The electron barrier height and the effective electronic mass calculated from Schottky emission and F–N tunneling were and , respectively.