Characteristics of Al2O3 gate dielectrics partially fluorinated by a low energy fluorine beam

Abstract

The partial fluorination of Al2O3 gate dielectrics was examined by exposing an oxide-nitride-aluminum oxide (ONA) stack to a low energy fluorine beam, and its effect on the properties of the ONA was investigated. Exposing ONA to about 10 eV fluorine beam resulted in a 5-nm-thick AlOxFy layer on the ONA by replacing some Al–O to Al–F. The electrical properties such as leakage current and memory window characteristics were improved after fluorination of the ONA, possibly due to the improved charge trapping characteristics through the formation of an AlOxFy layer on the Al2O3 without changing the blocking layer thickness.