Sub 5 Å-EOT Hf<i>ₓ</i>Zr<sub>1–<i>x</i> </sub>O₂ for Next-Generation DRAM Capacitors Using Morphotropic Phase Boundary and High-Pressure (200 atm) Annealing With Rapid Cooling Process
Dipjyoti Das, Batzorig Buyantogtokh, V. Gaddam, Sanghun Jeon
Abstract
Achieving low equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) with CMOS-compatible materials is of prime importance for further miniaturization of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) technology. Despite several efforts made in this regard, especially by using high dielectric constant ( <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\kappa $ </tex-math></inline-formula> ) materials, utilization of novel electrodes to counterfeit the high leakage current limits its immediate implementation. Herein, we experimentally demonstrate CMOS-compatible ~4.8 Å-EOT ferroelectric (FE) Zr-rich Hf <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><i>x</i></sub> Zr <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1–<i>x</i></sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> (HZO) with morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) formed by high-pressure annealing (HPA) and rapid cooling (RC) processes for next-generation DRAM device applications. Such low EOT was achieved by precise process optimization such as HZO composition, annealing condition, and thickness in the vicinity of MPB. The utilization of HPA reduces the physical thickness for emergence of MPB in Zr-rich HZO films, whereas the RC of the HPA samples reduces the leakage current considerably. A maximum dielectric constant ( <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\kappa $ </tex-math></inline-formula> ) of ~49 was achieved for 6.0-nm HZO [1:2] films for 500 °C HPA-RC resulting in an EOT as low as ~4.8 Å. This is the lowest among all reported EOT value using CMOS-compatible HZO films with leakage current <10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">−7</sup> A/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> using TiN as top and bottom electrodes and can be of significant importance for the future DRAM technology.