Gadolinium scandate by high-pressure sputtering for future generations of high-κ dielectrics

Gd-rich gadolinium scandate (Gd2-xScxO3) was deposited by high-pressure sputtering on (1 0 0) silicon by alternating the deposition of <0.5 nm thick films of its binary components: Sc 2O3 and Gd2O3. The formation of the ternary oxide was observed after the thermal treatments, with a high increase in the effective permittivity of the dielectric (up to 21). The silicon diffuses into the Gd2-xScxO3 films, which show an amorphous character. After the annealing no interfacial silicon oxide is present. CHF-VG curves indicated low hysteresis (55 mV) and a density of interfacial defects of 6 × 1011 eV -1 cm-2.This work was financed by the Spanish MINECO under project TEC2010-18051. The work of MAP and PCF was funded by the FPI program (BES-2011-043798) and FPU program (AP2007-01157), respectively.Peer Reviewe