Eur. Phys. J. B 39, 273-277 (2004)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2004-00190-1

Crystallisation kinetics and density profiles in ultra-thin hafnia films

Crystallisation and structure of HfO₂ films

¹ Institut Européen des Membranes, UM-II cc047, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
² ASM France, 1025 rue Henri Becquerel, 34036 Montpellier Cedex 1, France
³ CEA-DRT-LETI, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France

Corresponding author: ^a avderlee@univ-montp2.fr

Received: 8 March 2004
Published online: 29 June 2004

Abstract

Crystallisation onset temperatures as a function of chlorine contamination have been determined by grazing incidence diffraction on as-deposited ultra-thin HfO₂ films grown by Atomic Layer Deposition. The onset temperatures are positively correlated with chlorine content, suggesting defect-hindered crystallisation kinetics. Density profiles have been deduced by reflectometry measurements and a model independent analysis scheme. It is shown that the HfO₂/SiO₂-Si interface is electronically denser than the bulk of the HfO₂ film.