Dielectric properties of $Er−$doped $HfO2$ $(Er∼15%)$ grown by atomic layer deposition for high-$κ$ gate stacks Available to Purchase

$Er−$doped $HfO2$ $(Er∼15%)$ films are grown by atomic layer deposition on Si(100). The characteristics of the doped oxide are compared with those of $HfO2$⁠. In $Er−$doped $HfO2$⁠, the stabilization of the cubic structure, together with the effect of the high polarizability of $Er3+$⁠, allow to obtain a dielectric constant of $∼33$ after annealing at $900°C$⁠. The insertion of Er within the metallic sublattice of $HfO2$ reduces the net density of fixed charges, due to the creation of oxygen vacancies. For similar equivalent oxide thickness, lower leakage currents are measured for $Er−$doped $HfO2$ than for $HfO2$⁠.