MeV-Si ion irradiation effects on the electrical properties of HfO2 thin films on Si

• Published in: Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section B, Beam interactions with materials and atoms Beam interactions with materials and atoms, 2006-08, Vol.249 (1-2), p.414-416
• Main Authors: Yu, Xiangkun, Shao, Lin, Chen, Q.Y., Trombetta, L., Wang, Chunyu, Dharmaiahgari, Bhanu, Wang, Xuemei, Chen, Hui, Ma, K.B., Liu, Jiarui, Chu, Wei-Kan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: C–V measurement; High energy ion implantation; Leakage current
• ISSN: 0168-583X; 1872-9584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nimb.2006.04.041

We studied the irradiation effect of 2-MeV Si ions on HfO2 films deposited on Si substrates. HfO2 films ∼11nm thick were deposited onto 〈100〉 Si substrates by chemical vapor deposition. The samples were then irradiated by 2-MeV Si ions at a fluence of 1×1014cm−2 at room temperature, followed by rapid thermal annealing at 1000°C for 10s. After annealing, a layer of aluminum was deposited on the samples as the gate electrode to form metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor structures. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and electrical measurement of both capacitance and current as a function of voltage were used to characterize the samples before and after annealing. Non-insulating properties of the HfO2 films deteriorated immediately after the ion irradiation, but rapid thermal annealing effectively repaired the irradiation damages, as reflected in improved capacitance versus voltage characteristics and significant reduction of leakage current in the MOS capacitors.