Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition of HfO₂ Films through the Alternating Supply of Tetrakis(1-methoxy-2-methyl-2-propoxy)-Hafnium and Remote-Plasma Oxygen

Thin films of hafnium oxide were deposited by sequence in which the supply of tetrakis (1-methoxy-2-methyl-2-propoxy)-hafnium and remote-plasma oxygen were alternated. Increasing the number of cycles of alternating supply led to decreased amounts of hydrocarbon impurities in the film and the realization of an amorphous characteristic for the as-deposited films. HfO₂ dielectric capacitors produced by using this alternating supply technique exhibit values for leakage current that are two orders of magnitude lower than those of capacitors produced using the conventional process of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. This effective improvement can be explained by the reduced presence of impurities, particularly H₂O.