Nano Express
Band alignment and enhanced breakdown field of simultaneously oxidized and nitrided Zr film on Si
Energy Efficient and Sustainable Semiconductor Research Group, School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Seberang Perai Selatan, Penang, Malaysia
Nanoscale Research Letters 2011, 6:489 doi:10.1186/1556-276X-6-489
Published: 10 August 2011Abstract
The band alignment of ZrO2/interfacial layer/Si structure fabricated by simultaneous oxidation and nitridation of sputtered Zr on Si in N2O at 700°C for different durations has been established by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Valence band offset of ZrO2/Si was found to be 4.75 eV, while the highest corresponding conduction offset of ZrO2/interfacial layer was found to be 3.40 eV; owing to the combination of relatively larger bandgaps, it enhanced electrical breakdown field to 13.6 MV/cm at 10-6 A/cm2.
