Abstract A layer-by-layer, in-situ H2 plasma treatment in each cycle of atomic layer deposition, referred to as “atomic layer hydrogen bombardment” (ALHB), is applied to improve electrical properties of ZrO2 high-k gate dielectrics. The H2 plasma bombardment facilitates the adatom migration due to energy delivery to each as-deposited monolayer from the H2 plasma. In addition, the H2 plasma treatment contributes to the removal of precursor ligands for the release of steric hindrance. Hence the ALHB treatment leads to film densification and suppression of oxygen vacancies of ZrO2, as evidenced by X-ray reflectivity and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterizations. As a result, ~90% decrease of gate leakage current is achieved in the ZrO2 high-k gate dielectrics with capacitance equivalent thicknesses of ~1.3 nm and ~0.6 nm in metal-insulator-semiconductor and metal-insulator-metal capacitors, respectively. The results manifest that the ALHB treatment is a promising technique to enhance dielectric and electrical characteristics of nanoscale thin films, for further progress of advanced devices such as sensors, solar cells, memories, and nanoelectronics.

中文翻译：

---

通过逐层原位原子层氢轰击降低 ZrO2 高 k 栅极电介质的泄漏电流和薄膜致密化

摘要 在原子层沉积的每个循环中逐层进行原位 H2 等离子体处理，称为“原子层氢轰击”（ALHB），用于改善 ZrO2 高 k 栅极电介质的电性能。由于能量从 H2 等离子体传递到每个沉积的单层，H2 等离子体轰击促进了吸附原子的迁移。此外，H2 等离子体处理有助于去除用于释放空间位阻的前体配体。因此，正如 X 射线反射率和 X 射线光电子能谱表征所证明的那样，ALHB 处理导致膜致密化并抑制 ZrO2 的氧空位。结果，在电容等效厚度为 ~1.3 nm 和 ~0 的 ZrO2 高 k 栅极电介质中实现了 ~90% 的栅极漏电流降低。在金属-绝缘体-半导体和金属-绝缘体-金属电容器中分别为 6 nm。结果表明，ALHB 处理是一种很有前景的技术，可以增强纳米级薄膜的介电和电学特性，有助于传感器、太阳能电池、存储器和纳米电子等先进设备的进一步发展。