DIAMOND-LIKE CARBON WITHIN MICROELECTRONICS - DIELECTRIC-PROPERTIES ON SILICON AND GAAS

This paper briefly considers the potential applications of a-C:H diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films within the field of microelectronics. DLC films were fabricated on silicon and GaAs using a saddle field beam source and their dielectric behaviour was investigated by the formation of simple metal/insulator/semiconductor (MIS) devices. Capacitance-voltage measurements revealed good dielectric behaviour for the DLC on silicon in the as-deposited state. Annealing at temperatures as low as 250 °C improved the interface defect density but led to some disruption in the MIS device characteristics. MIS structures on GaAs formed by this method gave rise to "leaky" devices. The uses of DLC are considered in terms of active and passive microelectronic applications for this material, using a state-of-the-art GaAs device as an example. © 1992.