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Electrical and structural characteristics of thin thermally oxidized yttrium layers on Si and on Si covered with 40 Å of SiO2 have been investigated. The factor of ∼ four advantage in the dielectric constant of Y2O3 over SiO2, coupled with extremely low leakage current density of better than 10-10 A/cm2 in a field of 1.9 MV/cm, sufficiently high breakdown strength, and well-behaved capacitance-voltage characteristics makes Y2O3 a viable candidate for Si very large scale integration applications, at least in passive devices. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals the structure of the composite dielectric and provides good agreement between calculated and experimental capacitance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the crystallization of amorphous oxides that are considered likely candidates to replace amorphous SiO[sub 2] as the gate dielectric in advanced field-effect transistors. To avoid crystallization, the mole fraction of main-group oxide in the Zr–Si–O, Zr–Al–O, and Hf–Si–O systems must be greater than 83%, 65%, and 78%, respectively, leading to a maximum useful dielectric constant of only 6.9, 12.7, and 6.6, respectively. We conclude that the silicate systems are not likely to be useful as replacements for SiO[sub 2], while aluminates are more promising. © 2003 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study which measured the root-mean-square width of the buried crystalline/amorphous silicon(001)/silicon oxide[sub2] interface. Properties of metal-oxide semiconductor devices; Reverse correlation of interface width and oxide thickness; Difference between the rate of smoothing for wet and dry oxides.

Examines the growth temperature dependence of silicon/silica interface. Use of rapid thermal oxidation; Effects of temperature on interfacial roughness; Preference of growing thin oxide films at high temperatures.