Multi-component high-K gate dielectrics for the silicon industry

The exponential growth of the silicon industry can be attributed to that fact that silicon has a native oxide that is silicon dioxide. With SiO2 soon approaching its fundamental limit, we must find an alternate to SiO2 or a new switch to replace MOSFETs. In this paper we focus on the leading alternate gate dielectrics. We first discuss the selection criteria for alternate gate dielectrics and why it is important to have an amorphous gate dielectric. SiO2 and aluminum oxide remain amorphous at very high temperatures. For dielectrics with K > 15 and gate power < 100 mW/cm(2), it may be necessary to stabilize the amorphous phase of metal oxides by adding Al or Si to the oxide, thus forming multi-component dielectrics such as aluminates. We then benchmark aluminates with aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.