Role of Nitrogen Atoms in Reduction of Electron Charge Traps in Hf-Based High- \kappa Dielectrics

• Published in: IEEE electron device letters Vol. 28; no. 5; pp. 363 - 365
• Main Authors: Umezawa, N., Shiraishi, K., Torii, K., Boero, M., Chikyow, T., Watanabe, H., Yamabe, K., Ohno, T., Yamada, K., Nara, Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-05-2007; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Dielectric materials; Dielectrics and electrical insulation; Doping; Electron traps; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; hafnium compounds; Hafnium oxide; Laboratories; Lead compounds; Leakage current; Materials; Materials science and technology; MOSFETs; Nitrogen; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Transistors; trapping; MOSFET; Vacancy; Dielectric materials; Doping; hafnium compounds; Hafnium oxide; Nitrogen addition; trapping; MOSFETs; Electron traps; Charge carrier trapping; Hafnium Nitrides oxides; High k dielectric
• ISSN: 0741-3106; 1558-0563
• DOI: 10.1109/LED.2007.894655

Effects of nitrogen incorporation on suppression of electron charge traps in Hf-based high- kappa gate dielectrics have been studied by first-principles calculations, focusing on interactions between N atoms and electrons trapped at oxygen vacancies (V O 's). Our total energy calculations revealed that the formation energy of a doubly occupied state of V O is significantly increased in HfO x N y compared to that in HfO 2 . This clearly indicates that the electron charge traps at V O 's are considerably suppressed by N incorporation