Effects of sputter deposition parameters and post-deposition annealing on the electrical characteristics of LaAlO3 dielectric films on Si

The influence of processing parameters on the electrical characteristics of RuO2/LaAlO3/Si metal-oxide-semiconductor structures was investigated. In particular, the sputtering regime during deposition of LaAlO3 on Si and the atmosphere used in the post-deposition annealing step were addressed by determining capacitance-voltage and gate current-voltage characteristics. These results were correlated with compositional information obtained by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and nuclear reaction analysis. A post-deposition annealing step in oxygen at 600 degrees C resulted in better electrical characteristics of the final structure as compared to the same treatment performed in nitrogen. This result is explained by oxygen ability to heal oxygen vacancies in the LaAlO3 film, especially at the dielectric/semiconductor interface region. A thermalized sputtering regime during deposition of LaAlO3 on Si leads to capacitors with electrical characteristics superior to those deposited in ballistic regime.