Abstract
We report on a low-temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) study of (100)Si/HfO2 entities with ultrathin layers of amorphous (a)- HfO2 deposited by distinct chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques using chemically different precursors. The incorporation of N is revealed in (100)Si/HfO2 structures with ultrathin a-HfO2 films deposited by CVD using Hf(NO3)4 as precursor: Upon 60Co γ-irradiation, a prominent ESR powder pattern is observed, which via ESR measurements at two observational frequencies has been incontrovertibly identified as originating from NO2 radicals (density ≥55 at ppm). The molecules are found to be stabilized and likely homogeneously distributed in the a-HfO2 network. Based on symmetry considerations, it is suggested that during deposition, N is incorporated in the HfO2 network as neutral N≡O3 precursors, which are transformed into ESR-active NO2 radicals upon γ-irradiation. The N incorporation appears inherent to the particular nitrado CVD process, an aspect that may bear on the electrical properties of the insulator, such as, e.g., introducing charge traps.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 197-202 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 4-6 SPEC. ISS. |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 10 2004 |
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Keywords
- Defects
- Electron spin resonance
- Hf oxide
- Si/insulator structure
Cite this
Detection of nitrogen incorporation in nm-thin HfO2 layers on (100)Si by electron spin resonance. / Stesmans, A.; Afanas'ev, V. V.; Chen, F.; Campbell, S. A.
In: Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, Vol. 7, No. 4-6 SPEC. ISS., 10.12.2004, p. 197-202.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Detection of nitrogen incorporation in nm-thin HfO2 layers on (100)Si by electron spin resonance
AU - Stesmans, A.
AU - Afanas'ev, V. V.
AU - Chen, F.
AU - Campbell, S. A.
PY - 2004/12/10
Y1 - 2004/12/10
N2 - We report on a low-temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) study of (100)Si/HfO2 entities with ultrathin layers of amorphous (a)- HfO2 deposited by distinct chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques using chemically different precursors. The incorporation of N is revealed in (100)Si/HfO2 structures with ultrathin a-HfO2 films deposited by CVD using Hf(NO3)4 as precursor: Upon 60Co γ-irradiation, a prominent ESR powder pattern is observed, which via ESR measurements at two observational frequencies has been incontrovertibly identified as originating from NO2 radicals (density ≥55 at ppm). The molecules are found to be stabilized and likely homogeneously distributed in the a-HfO2 network. Based on symmetry considerations, it is suggested that during deposition, N is incorporated in the HfO2 network as neutral N≡O3 precursors, which are transformed into ESR-active NO2 radicals upon γ-irradiation. The N incorporation appears inherent to the particular nitrado CVD process, an aspect that may bear on the electrical properties of the insulator, such as, e.g., introducing charge traps.
AB - We report on a low-temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) study of (100)Si/HfO2 entities with ultrathin layers of amorphous (a)- HfO2 deposited by distinct chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques using chemically different precursors. The incorporation of N is revealed in (100)Si/HfO2 structures with ultrathin a-HfO2 films deposited by CVD using Hf(NO3)4 as precursor: Upon 60Co γ-irradiation, a prominent ESR powder pattern is observed, which via ESR measurements at two observational frequencies has been incontrovertibly identified as originating from NO2 radicals (density ≥55 at ppm). The molecules are found to be stabilized and likely homogeneously distributed in the a-HfO2 network. Based on symmetry considerations, it is suggested that during deposition, N is incorporated in the HfO2 network as neutral N≡O3 precursors, which are transformed into ESR-active NO2 radicals upon γ-irradiation. The N incorporation appears inherent to the particular nitrado CVD process, an aspect that may bear on the electrical properties of the insulator, such as, e.g., introducing charge traps.
KW - Defects
KW - Electron spin resonance
KW - Hf oxide
KW - Si/insulator structure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=9544237165&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=9544237165&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.mssp.2004.09.091
DO - 10.1016/j.mssp.2004.09.091
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:9544237165
VL - 7
SP - 197
EP - 202
JO - Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing
JF - Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing
SN - 1369-8001
IS - 4-6 SPEC. ISS.
ER -