Interface control and leakage current conduction mechanism in HfO2 film prepared by pulsed laser deposition

The N2 atmosphere postannealing is introduced to improve the interfacial quality and the dielectric properties of HfO2 films prepared by pulsed laser deposition. The disappearance of interface layer between HfO2 film and Si substrate and the decrease of leakage current densities after annealing are further confirmed by high-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy investigation and electrical measurement. Electric conduction analysis results show that the dominant leakage current conduction mechanisms of the annealed HfO2 film are the Schottky emission at low electric field, the trap-assisted tunneling, and space-charge-limited current at high electric field for the gate and substrate injections, respectively.