Characteristics of hafnium-zirconium-oxide film treated by remote plasma nitridation

Abstract

Characteristics of hafnium-zirconium-oxide films, with and without remote plasma nitridation, have been investigated. The films were created by atomic layer deposition. After deposition, remote plasma nitridation was performed. Nitrogen atoms were successfully incorporated into the hafnium-zirconium-oxide films. As-deposited hafnium-zirconium-oxide film showed a partially crystallized structure. Remote plasma treatment of the hafnium-zirconium-oxide film can effectively suppress the crystallization of the film during rapid thermal annealing. The annealed hafnium-zirconium-oxide film treated by remote plasma nitridation showed a lower equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) and a lower leakage current density than a non-nitrided sample with the same physical thickness. The EOTs of the mixed oxide films with and without nitridation were approximately 1.8 and 2.0 nm, respectively, and the leakage current densities of the films were 5.5 x 10(-8) and 9.2 x 10(-6) A/cm(2), respectively.