Electrical Conduction Mechanism in Metal-ZrO[sub 2]-Silicon Capacitor Structures

The electrical conduction mechanism in zirconium oxide thin films as a function of temperature and electric field E was studied. metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors were fabricated. With the Al electrode biased negative, the conduction mechanism in an electrical field of and in the temperature range of was modified Schottky emission. The intrinsic barrier height between Al and was 1.06 eV. At a higher electrical field of and higher temperatures of the electrical conduction was dominated by modified Poole-Frenkel emission. The extracted trap level was 0.83 eV. With the Al electrode biased positive, the conduction mechanism was Schottky emission at the electrical field and higher temperatures of The barrier height between Si and was 1.0 eV. Based on the above results, an energy band diagram of the system is proposed.