Current voltage characteristics through grains and grain boundaries of high-k dielectric thin films measured by tunneling atomic force microscopy

Murakami K, Rommel M, Yanev V, Bauer A, Frey L (2011)

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Conference contribution, Conference Contribution

Publication year: 2011

Book Volume: 1395

Pages Range: 134-138

Event location: Grenoble

ISBN: 9780735409651

DOI: 10.1063/1.3657879

Abstract

Leakage current distributions of high‐k dielectric thin films (8 nm HfSixOy" role="presentation">HfSixOy and 5 nm ZrO2" role="presentation">ZrO2) were measured by tunneling atomic force microscopy (TUNA). In contrast to the thick HfSixOy" role="presentation">HfSixOy film, where grains and grain boundaries can be seen by TUNA topography maps, ZrO2" role="presentation">ZrO2 films show no topography roughness. But large leakage current fluctuations can be seen for both dielectrics by TUNA current images. Higher leakage currents were found to flow through the grain boundaries of both analyzed high‐k dielectric films. Furthermore, local current voltage (I‐V) characteristics could successfully be measured precisely localized at grains and at grain boundaries, respectively, of the ZrO2" role="presentation">ZrO2 film. The obtained local I‐V curves showed significant differences between grains and grain boundaries, respectively. In the case of the ZrO2" role="presentation">ZrO2 film, the leakage current through the grain boundaries was up to 8 times larger than that through the grains at a substrate voltage of −3.5 V." role="presentation">−3.5 V.

Authors with CRIS profile

Lothar Frey Lehrstuhl für Elektronische Bauelemente

Involved external institutions

Fraunhofer-Institut für Integrierte Systeme und Bauelementetechnologie (IISB) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Murakami, K., Rommel, M., Yanev, V., Bauer, A., & Frey, L. (2011). Current voltage characteristics through grains and grain boundaries of high-k dielectric thin films measured by tunneling atomic force microscopy. In Proceedings of the Frontiers of Characterization and Metrology for Nanoelectronics: 2011 (pp. 134-138). Grenoble.

MLA:

Murakami, K., et al. "Current voltage characteristics through grains and grain boundaries of high-k dielectric thin films measured by tunneling atomic force microscopy." Proceedings of the Frontiers of Characterization and Metrology for Nanoelectronics: 2011, Grenoble 2011. 134-138.

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