Rapid-Thermal-Processed BaTiO3 Thin Films Deposited by Liquid-Source Misted Chemical Deposition

BaTiO3 thin films deposited on the RuO2(250 nm)/Ru(20 nm)/TiN(200 nm)/Ti(20 nm)/(100)Si substrates by liquid-source misted chemical deposition are reported. The rapid thermal processing (RTP) technique was used for post deposition annealing. It was found that the strain was released and grain size increased for BaTiO3 films treated at high RTP temperature or for long RTP time. The interface between BaTiO3 and the bottom electrode was still sharp for the RTP-treated sample at 950°C. The leakage current density decreases as the RTP temperature increases. It can be decreased to 2.09 nA/cm2 under a supply voltage of 1.5 V. The dielectric constant can be increased up to 250 measured at 100 kHz for the sample treated by RTP at 950°C. The improvements in the BaTiO3 characteristics are due to the fact that RTP can enhance the crystallinity, relax the strain, alleviate the impurities in the films and does not result in significant interdiffusion of the materials.