The Atomic Layer Deposition of HfO2 and ZrO2 using Advanced Metallocene Precursors and H2O as the Oxygen Source

Abstract The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of HfO2 and ZrO2 thin films is investigated using (MeCp)2HfMe2, (MeCp)2Hf(OMe)(Me), (MeCp)2ZrMe2, and (MeCp)2Zr(OMe)(Me) as the precursors at deposition temperatures between 300 and 500 °C, with water vapor as the oxygen source. A self‐limiting growth mechanism is confirmed at 350 °C for all the metal precursors examined. The processes provide nearly stoichiometric HfO2 and ZrO2 films with carbon and hydrogen concentrations below 0.5 and 1.0 at.‐%, respectively, for representative samples. All films are polycrystalline as deposited, and possess a thin interfacial SiO2 layer. The capacitance‐voltage (C‐V) and current density‐voltage (I‐V) behavior is reported and discussed for capacitor structures containing films from this study.