Zirconium-Aluminum-Oxide Dielectric Layer with High Dielectric and Relatively Low Leakage Prepared by Spin-Coating and the Application in Thin-Film Transistor
Zhihao Liang, Shangxiong Zhou, Wei Cai, Xiao Fu, Honglong Ning, Junlong Chen, Weijian Yuan, Zhennan Zhu, Rihui Yao, Junbiao Peng
Abstract
In this paper, zirconium–aluminum–oxide (ZAO) dielectric layers were prepared by a solution method with intent to combine the high dielectric constant with a low leakage current density. As a result, dielectric layers with improved electrical properties as expected can be obtained by spin-coating the mixed precursor. The chemical and physical properties of the films were measured by thermogravimetric differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and a UV spectrometer. It is observed that the oxygen defects and the hydroxide in the films are reduced with the addition of high-bond-energy zirconia, while the films can remain large optical bond gaps thanks to the presence of alumina. The metal-insulator-metal (MIM) devices were fabricated, and it was seen that with a molar ratio of Zr:Al = 3:1 and an annealing temperature of 500 °C, the dielectric layer afforded the highest dielectric constant of 21.1, as well as a relatively low leakage current of 2.5 10−6 A/cm2@1MV/cm. Furthermore, the indium–gallium–zinc oxide thin-film transistors (IGZO-TFTs) with an optimal ZAO dielectric layer were prepared by the solution method and a mobility of 14.89 cm2/Vs, and a threshold voltage swing of 0.11 V/dec and a 6.1 106 on/off ratio were achieved at an annealing temperature of 500 °C.