Investigation of point defects at the high-k oxides/Si(1 0 0) interface by electrically detected magnetic resonance

Electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR) spectroscopy has been used to investigate the interfaces between Si(1 0 0) and the high-k dielectrics Al2O3 and ZrO2 grown by atomic layer deposition, with or without the native oxide removed. The experimental results show that the dominant electrically active defects at these interfaces are an isotropic center, typical of the disordered silicon dangling bond, and a trigonal center, Pb0-like, known from the Si/SiO2 interface. This shows that the paramagnetic defects also at nominally abrupt interfaces between Si and these high-k dielectrics are Si/SiO2-like. Deconvolution showed that the difference between g⊥ and g|| for the Si/ZrO2 interfaces is slightly larger then for the Si/Al2O3 interfaces.