Interaction of HfO₂/SiO₂/Si structures with deuterium gas

Hf O2 films (2.5 to 12 nm) deposited on thermal Si O2 (1.5 nm) on Si were annealed in deuterium gas at 400-600 °C and incorporated D amounts were quantified using the D (He3, p) He4 nuclear reaction. We found ∼ 1013 D cm-2 in the Si O2 interlayer region and up to 2.2× 1014 D cm-2 near the Hf O2 surface, whereas D amounts in the bulk of the Hf O2 films were determined to be below 1013 cm-2. However, analyses employing the H1 (N15, αγ) C12 nuclear resonant reaction showed much more spurious H present in the bulk of Hf O2 films. Mechanisms of D incorporation and desorption as well as contribution of the present results to the understanding of Hf O2 -based devices are discussed. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.