Physical and electrical properties of noncrystalline Al2O3 prepared by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Noncrystalline Al2O3 dielectric films have been synthesized by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RPECVD) and deposited on (i) H-terminated Si(100) and (ii) on SiO2 prepared by remote plasma assisted oxidation and RPECVD on Si(100) substrates using organometallic source gases injected downstream from a He/O2 plasma. Chemical composition and morphology of the Al2O3 films and their interfaces have been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear resonance profiling (NRP), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Previous studies in which Al2O3 was deposited by thermal CVD, rapid thermal CVD, (RTCVD), direct PECVD, and physical vapor deposition generally resulted in relatively thick SiO2 or Al-silicate interfacial layers which impact adversely on the highest attainable capacitance. In line AES and NRP indicate the as-deposited RPECVD films are fully oxidized on deposition, and their interfaces can be chemically abrupt with Si oxide or Al silicate interfacial layers that are no more than 0.6 to 0.8 nm thick. However, these relatively abrupt interfaces do not ensure good device performance. Electrical measurements indicate negative fixed charge on the order of 1012 charges/cm2. The fixed charge resides at the Al2O3 interface, and can be moved away from the silicon substrate by deposition of a thin, ∼1–2 nm, intermediate layer of RPECVD SiO2.