The Structural and Electrical Properties of Bismuth-based Pyrochlore Thin Films for embedded Capacitor Applications

Bi1.5Zn1.0Nb1.5O7 (BZN), Bi2Mg2/3Nb4/3O7 (BMN), and Bi2Cu2/3Nb4/3O7 (BCN) pyrochlore thin films were prepared on Cu/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates by pulsed laser deposition and the micro-structural and electrical properties were characterized for embedded capacitor applications. The BZN, BMN, and BCN films deposited at 25 degrees C and 150 degrees C, respectively show smooth surface morphologies and dielectric constants of about 39 similar to 58. The high dielectric loss of the films deposited at 150 degrees C compared with films deposited at 25 degrees C was attributed to the defects existing at interface between the films and copper electrode by an oxidation of copper bottom electrode. The leakage current densities and breakdown voltages in 200 nm thick-BMN and BZN films deposited at 150 C are approximately 2.5 x 10(4) A/cm(2) at 3 V and above 10 V, respectively. Both BZN and BMN films are considered to be suitable materials for embedded capacitor applications.