Suhk Kun Oh

Electronic and optical properties of Al2O3/SiO2 thin films grown on Si substrate

The electronic and optical properties of Al2O3/SiO2 dielectric thin films grown on Si(1 0 0) by the atomic layer deposition method were studied by means of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS). The band gaps of the Al2O3/SiO2 thin films before annealing and after annealing were 6.5 eV and 7.5 eV, respectively, and those of the γ-Al2O3 and α-Al2O3 phases were 7.1 eV and 8.4 eV, respectively. All of these were estimated from the onset values of the REELS spectra. The dielectric functions were determined by comparing the effective cross-section determined from experimental REELS with a rigorous model calculation based on dielectric response theory, using available software packages. The determined energy loss function obtained from the Al2O3/SiO2 thin films before annealing showed a broad peak at 22.7 eV, which moved to the γ-Al2O3 position at 24.3 eV after annealing. The optical properties were determined from the dielectric function. The optical properties of the Al2O3/SiO2 thin films after annealing were in good agreement with those of γ-Al2O3. The changes in band gap, electronic and optical properties of the Al2O3/SiO2 thin films after annealing indicated a phase transition from an amorphous phase to the γ-Al2O3 phase after annealing.

Band alignment of atomic layer deposited (ZrO2)x(SiO2)1−x gate dielectrics on Si (100)

The band alignment of atomic layer deposited (HfZrO4)1−x(SiO2)x (x = 0, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20) gate dielectric thin films grown on Si (100) was obtained by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy. The band gap, valence band offset, and conduction band offset values for HfZrO4 silicate increased from 5.4 eV to 5.8 eV, from 2.5 eV to 2.75 eV, and from 1.78 eV to 1.93 eV, respectively, as the mole fraction (x) of SiO2 increased from 0.1 to 0.2. This increase in the conduction band and valence band offsets, as a function of increasing SiO2 mole fraction, decreased the gate leakage current density. As a result, HfZrO4 silicate thin films were found to be better for advanced gate stack applications because they had adequate band gaps to ensure sufficient conduction band offsets and valence band offsets to Si.

Electronic properties of ultrathin HfO2, Al2O3, and Hf–Al–O dielectric films on Si(100) studied by quantitative analysis of reflection electron energy loss spectra

Quantitative analysis of reflection electron energy loss spectra for ultrathin HfO2, Al2O3, and Hf–Al–O dielectric thin films on Si(100) were carried out by using Tougaard-Yubero [Surf. Interface Anal. 36, 824 (2004)] QUEELS-e(k,ω)-REELS software. Experimental cross sections obtained from reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy were compared with theoretical inelastic scattering cross section Ksc deduced from the simulated energy loss function (ELF). The ELF is expressed as a sum of Drude oscillators. For HfO2, the ELF shows peaks in the vicinity of 10, 17, 22, 27, 37, and 47eV. For Al2O3, a broad peak at 22eV with a very weak shoulder at 14eV and a shoulder at 32eV were observed, while for the Al2O3 doped HfO2, the peak position is similar to that of HfO2. This indicates that when Hf–Al–O film is used as a gate dielectric in a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor transistor, its electronic structure is mainly determined by the d state of Hf. In addition, the inelastic mean free path (IMFP) was al...

Dielectric and optical properties of Zr silicate thin films grown on Si(100) by atomic layer deposition

Dielectric and optical properties of (ZrO2)x(SiO2)1−x dielectric thin films, grown on Si(100) by the atomic layer deposition method, were studied by means of reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS). The quantitative analysis of REELS spectra was carried out by using the quantitative analysis of electron energy loss spectra-e(k,ω)-REELS software to determine the dielectric function and optical properties by using an analysis of experimental REELS cross sections from the simulated energy loss function (ELF). For ZrO2, the ELF shows peaks in the vicinity of 10, 15, 21, 27, 35, 42, and 57 eV. For SiO2, a broad peak at 23 eV with a very weak shoulder at 15 eV and a shoulder at 34 eV were observed, while for Zr silicates (x=0.75 and 0.5), the peak position is similar to that of ZrO2. For Zr silicates with high SiO2 concentration (x=0.25), the peak positions are similar to that of SiO2, but the peak at 42 eV, which is due to excitation of Zr N2,3 shell electrons, still exist. This indicates that the...

Electronic properties of ultrathin (HfO2)x(SiO2)1−x dielectrics on Si (100)

Electronic properties of 6 nm (HfO2)x(SiO2)1−x dielectric thin films, deposited on Si(100) by atomic layer deposition with x equal to 0.75 and 0.25, were studied by means of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS). XPS measurements confirmed the formation of a silicate structure, and showed shifts of the Hf 4f and Si 2p peaks with varying Hf concentrations; these shifts are believed to be caused by changes in the amount of charge transfer and by the substitution of Si by Hf as second-nearest-neighbors. The band gap, Eg, was estimated from REELS. It increased from 5.52 eV for Hf silicate with a Hf/Si ratio of 3:1 to 6.61 eV for Hf silicate with a Hf/Si ratio of 1:3. For Hf silicate dielectrics, the band gap is mainly determined by Hf 5d conduction-band and O 2p valence-band states, and the increase with increasing Si concentration is due to mixing with the Si 3s electrons. By quantitative analysis of REELS spectra, the dielectric functions of the thin...

Band gap engineering for La aluminate dielectrics on Si (100)

La aluminate (La2O3)x(Al2O3)1−x films were grown by atomic layer deposition method, for which the conduction band offset, valence band offset, and band gap were obtained by using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy. The valence band offsets were nearly unchanged within the range from 2.23to2.37eV with increasing Al content. The conduction band offsets were changed from 2.40to2.86eV for the above dielectrics. Remarkably, the band gap could be engineered from 5.75to6.35eV by increasing Al content. We also found that La aluminate films have symmetric band profiles.

Electronic, Optical and Electrical Properties of Nickel Oxide Thin Films Grown by RF Magnetron Sputtering

Nickel oxide (NiO) thin films were grown on soda-lime glass substrates by RF magnetron sputtering method at room temperature (RT), and they were post-annealed at the temperatures of 100℃, 200℃, 300℃ and 400℃ for 30 minutes in vacuum. The electronic structure, optical and electrical properties of NiO thin films were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), reflection electron energy spectroscopy (REELS), UV-spectrometer and Hall Effect measurements, respectively. XPS results showed that the NiO thin films grown at RT and post annealed at temperatures below 300℃ had the NiO phase, but, at 400℃, the nickel metal phase became dominant. The band gaps of NiO thin films post annealed at temperatures below 300℃ were about 3.7 eV, but that at 400oC should not be measured clearly because of the dominance of Ni metal phase. The NiO thin films post-annealed at temperatures below 300℃ showed p-type conductivity with low electrical resistivity and high optical transmittance of 80% in the visible light region, but that post-annealed at 400℃ showed n-type semiconductor properties, and the average transmittance in the visible light region was less than 42%. Our results demonstrate that the post-annealing plays a crucial role in enhancing the electrical and optical properties of NiO thin films.

Band alignment of atomic layer deposited (HfZrO{sub 4}){sub 1−x}(SiO{sub 2}){sub x} gate dielectrics on Si (100)

The band alignment of atomic layer deposited (HfZrO{sub 4}){sub 1−x}(SiO{sub 2}){sub x} (x = 0, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20) gate dielectric thin films grown on Si (100) was obtained by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy. The band gap, valence band offset, and conduction band offset values for HfZrO{sub 4} silicate increased from 5.4 eV to 5.8 eV, from 2.5 eV to 2.75 eV, and from 1.78 eV to 1.93 eV, respectively, as the mole fraction (x) of SiO{sub 2} increased from 0.1 to 0.2. This increase in the conduction band and valence band offsets, as a function of increasing SiO{sub 2} mole fraction, decreased the gate leakage current density. As a result, HfZrO{sub 4} silicate thin films were found to be better for advanced gate stack applications because they had adequate band gaps to ensure sufficient conduction band offsets and valence band offsets to Si.

Magnetic domain wall collision around the Walker breakdown in ferromagnetic nanowires

We have explored a fundamental phenomenon of magnetic domain wall collision in ferromagnetic nanowires using a micromagnetic simulation. With a systematic variation of an applied field strength, the domain wall collision phenomenon is observed around the Walker breakdown. Collision dynamics is found to mainly depend on domain wall inner structures. In the case of antiparallel transverse walls, it is found that the domain wall structure is preserved even after the collision, while parallel transverse walls experience multiple collisions with switching transverse components of colliding domain walls. After the Walker breakdown, collision of two domain walls comprises of creation and annihilation of a vortex and an antivortex. It is revealed that the collision dynamics of domain walls with an antivortex structure becomes strikingly distinctive depending on the relative direction of two colliding antivortex cores. Collision of vortex walls is observed to be associated with a complex interaction among vortex, ...

Magnetic and structural properties of Co ion-implanted GaN

A GaN epilayer was grown on Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ substrate by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, and Co/sup -/ ions with a dose of 3/spl times/10/sup 16/ cm/sup -2/ were implanted into GaN at 350/spl deg/C. The implanted samples were postannealed at 700/spl deg/C-900/spl deg/C to recrystallize the samples and to remove implantation damage. We have investigated the magnetic and structural properties of Co ion-implanted GaN by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XRD results did not show any peaks associated with the second phase formation, and only the diffraction from the GaN layer and substrate structure were observed. The temperature dependence of magnetization taken in zero-field-cooling and field-cooling conditions showed the features of superparamagnetic system in films annealed at 700/spl deg/C-900/spl deg/C. The magnetization curves at 5 K for samples annealed at 700/spl deg/C-900/spl deg/C exhibits ferromagnetic hysteresis loops, and the highest residual magnetization (M/sub R/) and coercivity (H/sub c/) of M/sub R/=1.5/spl times/10/sup -4/ emu/g and H/sub c/=107 Oe were found in the 800/spl deg/C annealed sample. XPS measurement showed the metallic Co 2p core levels and the metallic valence band spectra for as-implanted and 700/spl deg/C-900/spl deg/C annealed samples. From these, it could be explained that the magnetic property of our films originated from Co and CoGa magnetic clusters.