Aqueous process to limit hydration of thin-film inorganic oxides

Aqueous-processed aluminum oxide phosphate (AlPO) dielectric films were studied to determine how water desorbs and absorbs on heating and cooling, respectively. In-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed a distinct, reversible mono- to bidentate phosphate structural change associated with water loss and uptake. Temperature programmed desorption measurements on a 1-μm thick AlPO film revealed water sorption was inhibited by an aqueous-processed HfO2 capping film only 11-nm thick. The HfO2 capping film prevents water resorption, thereby preserving the exceptional performance of AlPO as a thin-film dielectric.