AVS 50th International Symposium
    Applied Surface Science Wednesday Sessions
       Session AS-WeP

Paper AS-WeP15
Optical, Structural and Electrical Characteristics of High Dielectric Constant Zirconium Oxide Thin Films Deposited by Spray Pyrolysis

Wednesday, November 5, 2003, 11:00 am, Room Hall A-C

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: M.A. Aguilar, CICATA-IPN, Mexico
Authors: M.A. Aguilar, CICATA-IPN, Mexico
G. Reyna, UAM-I, Mexico
M. Garcia, IIM-UNAM, Mexico
J. Guzman, IIM-UNAM, Mexico
C. Falcony, CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico
Correspondent: Click to Email
High dielectric constant zirconium oxide thin films have been deposited on silicon substrates at temperatures from 400 to 600°C, using the spray pyrolysis technique. The films were deposited from two spraying solutions (0.033 and 0.066M) of zirconium acetylacetonate dissolved in N,N-Dimethylformamide. The as deposited films were stoichiometric, transparent and with a very low surface roughness (5-40Å). The films present a dielectric constant in the range from 12.5 to 17.5, depending on the experimental conditions. The films deposited at 500°C and with the 0.066M spraying solution can stand electric fields up to 3 MV/cm, without observing destructive dielectric breakdown. X ray diffraction as well as transmission electron microscopy measurements indicate that the films are polycrystalline. Infrared spectroscopy show the existence of silicon dioxide (SiO@sub 2@) in the films. Spectroscopic ellipsometry indicates that SiO@sub 2@ as well as ZrO@sub 2@ and c-Si comform a roughness layer located at the ZrO@sub 2@/Si interface. The presence of this interface layer, as well as the overall optical and structural characteristics of the films prepared, are probably responsible for the good dielectric characteristics observed on them.