Characteristics of Metal-Insulator-Metal Capacitors with HfO$_2$ Deposited by Sputtering

스퍼터링 방법으로 증착한 HfO$_2$ MIM 커패시터의 유전특성

Hf thin films were deposited on bottom metal using a RF magnetron sputtering method followed by oxidation and annealing in O$_2$ and N$_2$ ambient, respectively. Various top metal electrodes (i.e., Al, Au, and Cu) were deposited by evaporation, and their roles on physical and electrical properties were investigated. Using the XRD, SEM and AFM techniques, we confirmed that the grain size of HfO$_2$ thin films enlarges as a function of oxidation temperature, increasing dielectric constant. However, other electrical properties (e.g., tan) deteriorateas a consequence. The dielectric constant and tan of HfO$_2$ thin films oxidized at 500 $^{\circ}C$ were 17-25 and 3${\times}$10-3 - 2x10-2, respectively, in the frequency range of 1 Hz to 1 MHz. The leakage current density was less than 1${\times}$10-8A/cm2 up to 0.7 MV/cm. In addition, electrical properties of HfO$_2$ thin films (e.g., the dielectric constant, leakage current and tan $\delta$) depend on top metal electrode. We showed that Al top metal electrode results in the best result.