Novel high-k gate dielectric properties of ultrathin hydrocarbon films for next-generation metal-insulator-semiconductor devices

New high-k gate dielectrics are highly necessary in facilitating the continuous down-scaling of metal -oxide-semiconductor devices to the sub-10 nm range. This study presents ultrathin organic hydrocarbon (HC) films as a novel high-k gate insulator for metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices. During inductively-coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition with CH4 and H-2 gases, the growth temperature greatly affects the structure of the carbon layers and consequently their dielectric characteristics. Specifically, sp(2)-rich dielectric HC layers are formed below 600 degrees C, whereas highly-ordered sp(2)-hybridized graphene is formed at 950 degrees C. The k value of the resulting HC films increases up to a maximum value of 90 at 350 degrees C. Moreover, the MIS devices exhibit excellent gate-insulating properties, including almost no hysteresis in the capacitance-voltage curve, low leakage current, and high dielectric strength, which surpass those of existing high-k gate oxides. These results reveal that the organic HC films are a promising next-generation high-k gate dielectric material for sub-10 nm node Si and organic semiconductor technologies. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.