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Bri's Project Page - RISE summer 2003 |
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Intern: Brietta Oakley, University of Kentucky
Mentor: Dimitry Klenov
Faculty Supervisor: Susanne Stemmer
Department: Materials |
ULTRAVIOLET OZONE OXIDATION OF ULTRATHIN TITANIA DIELECTRIC FILMS
As transistor devices are required to be smaller and smaller, a material
with a higher dielectric constant than SiO2 is needed to act as a gate
dielectric in order to maintain/improve performance. In this project,
ultraviolet ozone oxidation is being explored as a possible method to produce
different metal oxide thin films for this application. An emphasis has been
placed on thin titanium films because of oxidation ease as well as the high
dielectric constant of TiO2. The UV ozone oxidation method has the advantage
of being a low temperature process when compared to other common methods of
thin film oxidation, such as O2 annealing and direct deposition from a Ti oxide
target. Samples are oxidized in O2 in the presence of ultraviolet light of a
specified wavelength (185 nm). The UV light encourages the presence of O3,
which will rapidly oxidize the thin titanium film with little to no substrate
damage. By altering the parameters of time, temperature, and oxygen pressure,
optimal conditions are determined for this process. Samples are then analyzed
with transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to
determine the phases of oxide present, level of oxidation, and presence of
semiconductor substrate damage.
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