Electrical properties of solution processed multilayer high-k ZrO2 capacitors in inert atmosphere

Publication date: Available online 3 January 2016
Source:Thin Solid Films
Author(s): M. Kaloumenos, K. Hofmann, D. Spiehl, R. Hoffmann, R. Precht, K. Bonrad
The solution deposition of ZrO2 thin films from a single-source precursor with oximato ligands allowed the deposition of very uniform and homogenous films. Variation of the film thickness by either employing higher precursor concentrations or the succeeding deposition of multiple layers did not lead to any observable changes in the film morphology. Measurements were carried out using scanning electron microscopy as well as white light interferometry. Detailed investigations of the electrical properties by impedance spectroscopy of capacitors revealed that the relative permittivity is not affected by the processing procedure. No influence of the particular thickness and the number of the individual layers in a stack could be determined. In all cases, the dielectric constant of the amorphous ZrO2 had a value ~14.8, as extracted from the impedance at 10kHz. The method seems attractive for the application in printed electronics as it is robust against changes in the deposition conditions.