Manhong Zhang

Gate Stacks with High-k Dielectrics and Metal Electrodes: Fermi Level Pinning and Dipoles Induced by Lanthanide Oxides Manhong Zhang

Continuing to scale down the transistor size makes the adoption of high-k gate dielectrics and metal electrodes necessary. However, there are still a lot of problems with high-k transistors such as Fermi-level pinning (FLP), which affects flatband voltage ¿Vfb¿and threshold voltages (Vth) directly. This book summarizes three FLP mechanisms in gate stacks with high-k dielectrics and metal electrodes¿ a dipole formation through (1) the mechanism of oxygen vacancy formation in a high-k dielectric layer; (2) the hybridization between a metal gate and a high-k dielectric layer; and (3) the interaction between an interfacial SiO2 layer and a high-k dielectric layer. This book focuses on the study of FLP and dipoles induced by capping a thin lanthanide oxide layer on a gate stack with a Hf-based high-k dielectric. By examining Vfb shifts in specially designed gate stacks, it is concluded that the negative Vfb shift is due to a dipole formation at the interface between the interfacial SiO2 layer and a lanthanide silicate layer. The Vfb shifts by other two FLP mechanisms are also studied. The book is very useful for those who are interested in FLP and Vth tuning in high-k transistors.