Fixed charge and interface traps at heterovalent interfaces between Si(1 0 0) and non-crystalline Al2O3–Ta2O5 alloys

Characterization by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirms (Ta2O5)x(Al2O3)1−x alloys are homogeneous pseudo-binary alloys with increased thermal stability with respect to end member oxides, Ta2O5 and Al2O3. Capacitance–voltage (C–V) and current density–voltage (J–V) data as a function of temperate show that the Ta d-states of the alloys act as localized electron traps, and are at an energy approximately equal to the conduction band offset of Ta2O5 with respect to Si.