Composition, surface morphology and electrical characteristics of Al2O3-TiO2 nanolaminates and AlTiO films on silicon

We propose and demonstrate Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor structures comprising Al2O3-TiO2 nanolaminate and AlTiO films. Composition, structural and electrical characteristics were studied in detail and compared to TiO2 thin film-based structures. All dielectric films were evaporated using an electron beam gun (EBG) system on unheated p-Si substrate without adding O-2. MOS structures were investigated in detail before and after annealing at up to 950 degrees C in O-2 and N-2 + O-2 environments. The nanolaminate films remain in an amorphous state after annealing at 950 degrees C. The smallest quantum mechanical corrected equivalent oxide thickness measured was similar to 1.37 nm. A large reduction of the leakage current density to 1.8 x 10(-8) A/cm(2) at an electric field of 2 MV/cm was achieved by the annealing process. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.