ZrO₂ Thin Films Grown on Silicon Substrates by Atomic Layer Deposition with Cp₂Zr(CH₃)₂ and Water as Precursors

ZrO 2 thin films have been deposited onto (100) silicon substrates by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using Cp 2 Zr(CH 3 ) 2 (Cp = cyclopentadienyl) and water as precursors at 200–500 °C. Optimal results were obtained at 350 °C, with a deposition rate of 0.43 Å (cycle) –1 . Films deposited at 300–400 °C were polycrystalline, with monoclinic ( 1 11) as the preferred orientation. Carbon and hydrogen impurity levels in the films deposited at 350 °C were below the detection limit (0.1 at.‐%) of time of flight elastic recoil detection analysis (TOF‐ERDA). Dielectric properties of the deposited films were also determined. According to the high‐resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) analysis, 5 nm thick ZrO 2 films were uniform when deposited onto untreated Si(100).