Gerald Lucovsky

Infrared spectroscopic study of SiOx films produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

We have studied the local atomic structure of silicon suboxide (SiOx, x<2) thin films using infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The films were prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silane (SiH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) mixtures, which were then diluted with He. The IR spectra were found to vary significantly with the degree of He dilution. Films grown with no He showed SiN, NH, and SiH bonding groups in addition to the three characteristic vibrations of the Si–O–Si linkage. The addition of He reduced the strength of the SiN, NH, and SiH absorption bands, and resulted in systematic increases in the frequency of the Si–O–Si asymmetric stretching vibration. The frequency of this Si–O–Si stretching vibration scales linearly with the oxygen concentration from approximately 940 cm−1 in oxygen doped amorphous silicon to 1075 cm−1 in stoichiometric noncrystalline SiO2. A deposition temperature of 350 °C and a He dilution of 50% gave a film composition close to SiO1.9. We propose a model for the...

Raman scattering characterization of carbon bonding in diamond and diamondlike thin films

The atomic bonding configurations of carbon bonding in diamond and diamondlike thin films are explored using Raman scattering. The general aspects of Raman scattering from composites are presented. Effects are discussed due to crystalline or amorphous structures, large versus microcrystalline domains, and strong optical absorption and transparent regions. The Raman scattering from diamondlike films shows several features which are attributed to microcrystalline graphitelike structures which all originate from the same region in the sample. In contrast, the spectra of diamond films show features attributed to different components of a composite film. Components identified are crystalline diamond, and disordered and microcrystalline graphitic structures. The presence of precursor microcrystalline or amorphous diamond structures is also suggested.

Low‐temperature growth of silicon dioxide films: A study of chemical bonding by ellipsometry and infrared spectroscopy

This paper presents a spectroscopic study using the techniques of ellipsometry and infrared (IR) absorption spectroscopy of the chemical bonding in silicon dioxide (SiO2) films grown in dry oxygen ambients at temperatures between 550 and 1000 °C. We find that the index of refraction at 632.8 nm increases and the frequency of the dominant IR active bond‐stretching vibration at about 1075 cm−1 decreases as the growth temperature is decreased below 1000 °C. Comparing the properties of these films with suboxides (SiOx, x<2) grown by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and compacted bulk silica has lead us to conclude: (i) that films grown at temperatures at or below 1000 °C are homogeneous stoichiometric oxides (SiO2); and (ii) that the systematic and correlated variations in the index of refraction and the IR frequency result from increases in the film density with decreasing growth temperature. We present a microscopic model that accounts for (i) the increases in the density and the index of refracti...

Origin of charge density at LaAlO3 on SrTiO3 heterointerfaces: possibility of intrinsic doping

As discovered by Ohtomo and Hwang, a large sheet charge density with high mobility exists at the interface between SrTiO3 and LaAlO3. Based on transport, spectroscopic, and oxygen-annealing experiments, we conclude that extrinsic defects in the form of oxygen vacancies introduced by the pulsed laser deposition process used by all researchers to date to make these samples is the source of the large carrier densities. Annealing experiments show a limiting carrier density. We also present a model that explains the high mobility based on carrier redistribution due to an increased dielectric constant.

Dielectric functions and optical bandgaps of high-K dielectrics for metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors by far ultraviolet spectroscopic ellipsometry

A far ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopic ellipsometer system working up to 9 eV has been developed, and applied to characterize high-K-dielectric materials. These materials have been gaining greater attention as possible substitutes for SiO2 as gate dielectrics in aggressively scaled silicon devices. The optical properties of four representative high-K bulk crystalline dielectrics, LaAlO3, Y2O3-stabilized HfO2 (Y2O3)0.15–(HfO2)0.85, GdScO3, and SmScO3, were investigated with far UV spectroscopic ellipsometry and visible-near UV optical transmission measurements. Optical dielectric functions and optical band gap energies for these materials are obtained from these studies. The spectroscopic data have been interpreted in terms of a universal electronic structure energy scheme developed form ab initio quantum chemical calculations. The spectroscopic data and results provide information that is needed to select viable alternative dielectric candidate materials with adequate band gaps, and conduction and valence b...

Microscopic model for enhanced dielectric constants in low concentration SiO2-rich noncrystalline Zr and Hf silicate alloys

Dielectric constants, k, of Zr(Hf) silicate alloy gate dielectrics obtained from analysis of capacitance–voltage curves of metal–oxide–semiconductor capacitors with 3–6 at. % Zr(Hf) are significantly larger than estimates of k based on linear extrapolations between SiO2 and compound silicates, Zr(Hf)SiO4. Analysis of infrared spectra of Zr silicate alloys with 3–16 at. % Zr indicates increases in the coordination of Zr to O atoms from 4 to approximately 8 with increasing Zr content. The major contributions to enhancements in k in these low Zr(Hf) content alloys are explained by a transverse infrared effective charge that scales inversely with increasing Zr–O bond coordination.

Hydrogen localization near boron in silicon

Several models of boron neutralized by atomic hydrogen in silicon were tested by secondary ion mass spectrometry and infrared spectrometry. The hydrogen concentration is comparable to that of boron. Boron neutralization appears as a drop in free‐carrier absorption and as an increase in resistivity. A new infrared vibrational mode attributed to 〈111〉 vibrations of H tied to Si appears at 1875 cm−1.

Photoeffects in Nonuniformly Irradiated p‐n Junctions

A theoretical basis is provided for the interpretation of photoeffects observed in nonuniformly irradiated p‐n junctions. Differential equations describing the junction photovoltage are developed through an application of the continuity and diffusion equations. Solutions of the small‐signal steady‐state photoeffect equation indicate that the effects of nonuniform irradiation become increasingly important as the ratio of the lateral to the transverse resistance increases. α, a parameter introduced in this paper and designated as the lateral‐fall off parameter, is a measure of this resistance ratio. The lateral photovoltage resulting from nonuniform irradiation can be eliminated by reverse biasing the junction into saturation. Experimental curves in agreement with the predictions of the analysis are presented.

Modeled tunnel currents for high dielectric constant dielectrics

The effect of dielectric constant and barrier height on the WKB modeled tunnel currents of MOS capacitors with effective oxide thickness of 2.0 nm is described. We first present the WKB numerical model used to determine the tunneling currents. The results of this model indicate that alternative dielectrics with higher dielectric constants show lower tunneling currents than SiO/sub 2/ at expected operating voltages. The results of SiO/sub 2//alternative dielectric stacks indicate currents which are asymmetric with electric field direction. The tunneling current of these stacks at low biases decreases with decreasing SiO/sub 2/ thickness. Furthermore, as the dielectric constant of an insulator increased, the effect of a thin layer of SiO/sub 2/ on the current characteristics of the dielectric stack increases.

Physical and electrical properties of noncrystalline Al2O3 prepared by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Noncrystalline Al2O3 dielectric films have been synthesized by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RPECVD) and deposited on (i) H-terminated Si(100) and (ii) on SiO2 prepared by remote plasma assisted oxidation and RPECVD on Si(100) substrates using organometallic source gases injected downstream from a He/O2 plasma. Chemical composition and morphology of the Al2O3 films and their interfaces have been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear resonance profiling (NRP), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Previous studies in which Al2O3 was deposited by thermal CVD, rapid thermal CVD, (RTCVD), direct PECVD, and physical vapor deposition generally resulted in relatively thick SiO2 or Al-silicate interfacial layers which impact adversely on the highest attainable capacitance. In line AES and NRP indicate the as-deposited RPECVD films are fully oxidized on deposition, and their interfaces can be chemically abrupt with Si oxide or Al silicate interfac...