X-ray spectroscopic examination of thin Hf[O.sub.2] films ALD- and MOCVD-grown on the Si surface

Hf[O.sub.2] films 5 nm thick grown on Si(100) substrates by the methods of MOCVD hydride epitaxy and atomic layer deposition (ALD) are studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy combined with [Ar.sup.+] ion etching and X-ray reflectometry. It is found that (i) the ALD-grown Hf[O.sub.2] films are amorphous, while the MOCVD-grown films show signs of a crystal structure; (ii) the surface of the ALD-grown films is more prone to contamination and/or is more reactive; and (iii) the amount of interfacial silicon dioxide in the case of the MOCVD-grown film is greater than in the case of the films synthesized by ALD. It is also shown that the argon ion etching of the Hf[O.sub.2] film results in the formation of a metallic hafnium layer at the interface. This indicates that Hf[O.sub.2] can be used not only as a gate dielectric but also as a material suitable for fabricating nanodimensional conductors by direct decomposition. DOI: 10.1134/S1063784210070200