Fermi level tuning using the Hf-Ni alloy system as a gate electrode in metal-oxide-semiconductor devices

Hf-Ni alloys are studied as a gate electrode for metal-oxide-semiconductor devices. The Hf-Ni solid-state amorphization couple encompasses several metallurgical phenomena which are investigated at the nanoscale and are correlated with the macroscopic electrical properties of devices. The dependence of the Fermi level position on the alloy composition is studied both on SiO2 and on HfO2. In order to isolate the effects of interfacial and dielectric charges and dipoles, the dependence of the vacuum work-function values on the composition is also studied. The Fermi level positions of the alloys do not depend linearly on the average composition of the alloys and are strongly affected by Hf enrichment at the HfNix/dielectric interface and the HfNix surface. We note a constant shift of 0.4 eV in the Fermi level position on HfO2 compared to SiO2. In addition, characterization of the composition, structure, and morphology reveals Kirkendall voids formation when the bottom layer consists of Ni, and an oxygen-scavenging effect when the bottom layer is Hf. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4730618]