Studies of Hf(Si,O) dielectrics for metal-oxide-semiconductor applications

The effect of hafnium content on material properties of ultra-thin, mist deposited Hf-based dielectrics is investigated. Deposition rate and dielectric constant of HfSiOx film were found to increase with Hf content in the precursor. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry revealed the presence of distinct Hf–O and Hf–Si–O phases in the HfSiOx film deposited with high-Hf content precursor. With an increase of Hf-content in the HfSiOx the equivalent oxide thickness value of the Pt–HfSiOx–Si gate stack was decreasing and leakage current maintained lower than that of HfO2 at the similar physical thickness.