Atomic Layer Deposition of ZrO₂ Thin Films Using Dichlorobis[bis‐(trimethylsilyl)amido]zirconium and Water

Abstract

Abstract A new zirconium precursor, (ZrCl 2 [N(SiMe 3 ) 2 ] 2 ), and H 2 O oxidant were used to deposit ZrO 2 films on a Si substrate, for alternative gate dielectrics, via atomic layer deposition (ALD) in the temperature range 150–350 °C. The film growth showed the self‐limiting characteristic of ALD, with a maximum growth rate of 1.6 Å per cycle at 175 °C. The compositions of as‐deposited films were analyzed by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), and it was found that the amount of silicon in ZrO 2 films was uniformly distributed throughout the film in the range of 1.1 at.‐% to 5.4 at.‐% as the deposition temperature was increased. After rapid thermal annealing in an Ar atmosphere at 700–900 °C, the amorphous as‐deposited film was crystallized mainly in the cubic phase, and no significant change in surface morphology was observed.