HfO x N y gate dielectric on p-GaAs

Plasma nitridation method is used for nitrogen incorporation in HfO2 based gate dielectrics for future GaAs-based devices. The nitrided HfO2 (HfOxNy) films on p-GaAs improve metal-oxide-semiconductor device characteristics such as interface state density, accumulation capacitance, hysteresis, and leakage current. An equivalent oxide thickness of 3.6 nm and a leakage current density of 10−6 A cm−2 have been achieved at VFB−1 V for nitrided HfO2 films. A nitride interfacial layer (GaAsO:N) was observed at HfO2–GaAs interface, which can reduce the outdiffusion of elemental Ga and As during post-thermal annealing process. Such suppression of outdiffusion led to a substantial enhancement in the overall dielectric properties of the HfO2 film.