Physical and electrical characteristics of the high-k Nd₂O₃ polyoxide deposited on polycrystalline silicon

In this study, the electrical and physical characteristics of the high-k Nd₂O₃ polyoxides by RF sputtering system deposited on the polycrystalline silicon have been investigated. It can be seen that the high-k Nd₂O₃ polyoxides with post rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at 900 °C can show higher breakdown electric field, smaller gate voltage shift and larger charge-to-breakdown in comparison with the as-deposited polyoxide. This is believed to be due to the post-RTA treatment can passivate the defects and trap states to terminate the dangling bonds and traps existed in the high-k Nd₂O₃ dielectric and the interface between high-k film and polysilicon.