title: High-κ Lanthanum Zirconium Oxide Thin Film Dielectrics from Aqueous Solution Precursors.
abstract: Metal oxide thin films are critical components in modern electronic applications. In particular, high-κ dielectrics are of interest for reducing power consumption in metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) field-effect transistors. Although thin-film materials are typically produced via vacuum-based methods, solution deposition offers a scalable and cost-efficient alternative. We report an all-inorganic aqueous solution route to amorphous lanthanum zirconium oxide (La2Zr2O7, LZO) dielectric thin films. LZO films were spin-cast from aqueous solutions of metal nitrates and annealed at temperatures between 300 and 600 °C to produce dense, defect-free, and smooth films with subnanometer roughness. Dielectric constants of 12.2-16.4 and loss tangents <0.6% were obtained for MIS devices utilizing LZO as the dielectric layer (1 kHz). Leakage currents <10-7A cm-2at 4 MV cm-1were measured for samples annealed at 600 °C. The excellent surface morphology, high dielectric constants, and low leakage current densities makes these LZO dielectrics promising candidates for thin-film transistor devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Materials Science Institute, University of Oregon , Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States.
authors.forename: Keenan N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University , Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States.
authors.forename: Tsung-Han
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Materials Science Institute, University of Oregon , Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States.
authors.forename: Paul N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Plassmeyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Materials Science Institute, University of Oregon , Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States.
authors.forename: Matthew G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kast
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Materials Science Institute, University of Oregon , Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States.
authors.forename: Alexander C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Lygo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Materials Science Institute, University of Oregon , Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States.
authors.forename: Aidan K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Grealish
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Materials Science Institute, University of Oregon , Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States.
authors.forename: Shannon W
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8971-9123
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Boettcher
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Materials Science Institute, University of Oregon , Eugene, Oregon 97403, United States.
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4545-7835
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Page
keywords: aqueous solution deposition; dielectric; lanthanum zirconium oxide; spin-coating; thin films