Change in the interfacial reaction of Hf-silicate film as a function of thickness and stoichiometry.

Medium energy ion scattering and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy are used to investigate the depth of the interfacial reaction of Hf-silicate film. The interfacial reaction is critically affected by the film thickness and the mole fraction of HfO(2) in silicate film. The interfacial compressive strain generated at the surface of the Si substrate is dependent on the film thickness during the postannealing process in film with a thickness of approximately 4 nm. Finally, the phase separation phenomenon demonstrates critically different behaviors at different film thicknesses and stoichiometries because the diffusion of Si from interface to surface is dependent on these factors. Moreover, the oxidation by oxygen impurity in the inert ambient causes SiO(2) top formation.