Electrical properties of alumina films by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition

Plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) technique using trimethylaluminum (TMA) precursors and O-2 gas mixed with N-2 gas, was adopted as a promising method for growing Al2O3 thin films with improved electrical properties compared to the conventional ALD. PEALD provides a higher growth rate of 0.18 nm/cycle than ALD does of 0.11 nm/cycle at 100degreesC. Due to superior film density of PEALD compared to that of ALD, excellent breakdown fields of 9 MV/cm were obtained in PEALD Al2O3. The dielectric constants for Al2O3 films grown by PEALD were also higher than constants produced by ALD. (C) 2004 The Electrochemical Society.