Structural and electrical properties of ultra thin HfO2 gate oxide prepared by inductively coupled rf magnetron sputtering system

A new inductively coupled rf plasma sputtering process was performed to produce ultrathin HfO2 gate oxides in metal-oxide-semiconductor devices at room temperature. The primary emphasis of the fabrication process was placed on obtaining a large amount of active oxygen radicals through an external electrode for ecient deposition. Structural properties, such as structural phase and chemical binding information were analyzed by using X-ray diraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Dielectric properties were also characterized by C-V and leakage current measurements. The experimental results repeal that the crystallization of gate oxides from amorphous to orthorhombic or tetragonal phases can eectively be controlled by applying external rf power in our system. In addition, an amorphous phase of the HfO2 gate oxide induced signicantly low leakage current, due to reduction of leakage current path. KCI Citation Count: 11