Pei Lei

Enhanced mechanical properties of HfO2 film by nitrogen doping

The chemical composition, structure and mechanical properties of hafnium oxide films with different nitrogen constituents were investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectrum analysis showed that nitrogen atoms acted as oxygen substitution and interstitial atoms. The crystalline features exhibited no change during nitrogen doping. Nevertheless, the films with high compressive stress displayed significantly enhanced mechanical properties. The enhanced mechanism could mainly be attributed to the dislocation obstacle motion by inserting nitrogen atoms.

Improved work function of preferentially oriented indium oxide films induced by the plasma exposure technique

The preferentially oriented In2O3 thin films were prepared on glass substrates by conventional magnetron sputtering with Ar+ plasma exposure at room temperature. Based on the x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV photoelectron spectroscopy results, it was found that the Ar+ plasma exposure not only enhanced the low-temperature crystallization of In2O3 thin films, but also led to a dramatic improvement in the work function. Furthermore, it demonstrated that the shift mechanism of the work function in In2O3 thin films mainly combined with theelimination of oxygen defects and the change of the preferential orientation of In2O3 film surface.