Design and proof of high quality HfAlO/sub x/ film formation for MOSCAPs and nMOSFETs through Layer-by-Layer Deposition and Annealing process

We propose a new method for high-k film growth and demonstrate its usefulness in terms of improvements of electrical characteristics of MOSCAPs and nMOSFETs. Layer-by-Layer Deposition & Annealing (LL-D&A) is a key concept to reduce impurities incorporated in the film through decomposition of precursors. For HfAlO/sub X/ (Hf:75at.%), it is shown that there are big differences in physical and electrical properties between LL-D&A and conventional ALD+PDA. The maximum film thickness for annealing to effectively remove impurities and presumably to cure imperfections should be less than 1.8 nm. The excellent properties for EOT=1.38 nm HfAlO/sub X/ grown through D&A(O/sub 2/) process, such as a very small flatband voltage shift (/spl delta/V/sub FB/) less than 0.06 V for MOSCAP, a well controlled subthreshold swing of 77 mV/dec, a peak mobility of 210 cm/sup 2//Vs and 10-year lifetime at V/sub g/=-1.9 V for poly-Si gate nMOSFET, manifest the superiority of LL-D&A to the conventional ALD+PDA.