The thermal stability and structural characteristics for gate stack structure of HfO2 dielectrics deposited by atomic-layer deposition (ALD) were investigated. The structural characteristics and chemical state of the HfO2 films in relation to the film thickness and postannealing temperature were examined by x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An interfacial layer of hafnium silicate with an amorphous structure was grown on the oxidized Si substrate at an initial growth stage....

Preferential sputtering has been one of the major problems in sputter depth profiling. Especially for compounds, preferential sputtering of one component leads to a change in the chemical state of the sample constituents. Therefore, accurate sputter depth profiling of the undistorted chemical state of sample constituents has not been possible. In this letter, we report that the preferential sputtering of oxygen atoms in the depth profiling of a Ta2O5 thin film on Si could be reduced quite succes...