X-ray metrology for high-k atomic layer deposited HfxZr1−xO2 films

Hafnium-based dielectrics are the most promising material for SiO₂ replacement in future nodes of CMOS technology. While devices that utilize HfO₂ gate dielectrics suffer from lower carrier mobility and degraded reliability, our group has recently reported improved device characteristics with a modified Hf_xZr_1−xO₂ R.I. Hegde, D.H. Triyoso, P.J. Tobin, S. Kalpat, M.E. Ramon, H.-H. Tseng, J.K. Schaeffer, E. Luckowski, W.J. Taylor, C.C. Capasso, D.C. Gilmer, M. Moosa, A. Haggag, M. Raymond, D. Roan, J. Nguyen, L.B. La, E. Hebert, R. Cotton, X.-D. Wang, S. Zollner, R. Gregory, D. Werho, R.S. Rai, L. Fonseca, M. Stoker, C. Tracy, B.W. Chan, Y.H. Chiu, B.E. White, Jr., in: Technical Digest - International Electron Devices Meet, vol. 39, 2005, D.H. Triyoso, R.I. Hegde, J.K. Schaeffer, D. Roan, P.J. Tobin, S.B. Samavedam, B.E. White, Jr., R. Gregory, X.-D. Wang, Appl. Phys. Lett. 88 (2006) 222901]. These results have lead to evaluation of X-ray reflectivity (XRR) for monitoring high-k film thickness and control of Zr addition to HfO₂ using measured film density. In addition, a combination of XRR and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) is shown to be a fast and non-intrusive method to monitor thickness of interfacial layer between high-k and the Si substrate.