A review on potential use of cerium oxide and doped cerium oxide as high dielectric constant seed layers for overgrowth of cerium oxide nanostructures

Abstract In this review, an introduction to nanostructured films focusing on cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) as high dielectric constant ( k ) material for silicon-based metal-oxide-semiconductor devices, and subsequently background of using low k silicon dioxide as well as the transition to high k materials was presented. Moreover, the properties of CeO 2 in general and the applications of CeO 2 and doped CeO 2 films as high k passivation layers were reviewed. The beneficial effect of using CeO 2 seed layers on the characteristics of CeO 2 nanostructures was discussed. Moreover, challenges faced by CeO 2 and the potential of doping trivalent cations into the CeO 2 lattice for enhancement of passivation properties were thoroughly discussed.