Investigation of titanium nitride gates for tantalum pentoxide and titanium dioxide dielectrics

Abstract

The compatibility of metallic titanium nitride (TiN) as a gate electrode on TiO2 and Ta2O5 gate dielectrics is investigated by rapid thermal annealing (RTA). The electrical and physical properties are characterized using I–V measurements and transmission electron microscopy. TiN/TiO2 capacitors are electrically stable up to at least 800 °C for 90 s. However, the leakage density for TiN/Ta2O5 capacitors is increased by an 850 °C, 60 s RTA. Both TiN/TiO2 and TiN/Ta2O5 capacitors display a large increase in leakage density after a 1025 °C, 20 s RTA.