Electrical properties of HfO2 deposited via atomic layer deposition using Hf(NO3)4 and H2O

We report on the electrical properties of HfO2 deposited via atomic layer deposition using Hf(NO3)(4) precursor for metal/oxide/semiconductor gate dielectric applications. Thin films, with less than 1% variation in accumulation capacitance over a 150 mm wafer, have been deposited directly on hydrogen-terminated Si wafers. The effective dielectric constant of thin (<10 nm) films was in the range of kappa(eff)=10-12, the breakdown voltage was about 6-9 MV/cm, and the leakage current was between 3-6 orders of magnitude lower than that of SiO2. The relative benefit of lower leakage current of HfO2 over SiO2 decreased with decreasing effective thickness. Electron trapping was observed under constant voltage stressing. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.