Properties of LaAlO Film after Waterless Process Using Organic Solvent Containing Anhydrous Hydrofluoric Acid

Lanthanum (La)-based oxide films have been studied as high-k (high dielectric constant) gate dielectrics. However, moisture absorption is a serious problem for oxide films containing La. We have attempted to use waterless solutions instead of water-based solutions to remove high-k films to suppress the moisture absorption of the lanthanum aluminate (LaAlO) film. We report the effect of an anhydrous hydrofluoric acid (AHF) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) mixed solution as an etching solution and hydrofluoro-ether (HFE) as a rising solution on the properties of LaAlO films. We have succeeded in suppressing the moisture absorption of LaAlO films by using waterless solutions for a front end of line (FEOL) process. In addition, the selectivity (LaAlO/SiO2), the etching ratio of LaAlO to SiO2, was improved using this process. It is considered that this technology will be useful for the next-generation devices with lanthanum-based oxide films. (C) 2010 The Japan Society of Applied Physics