The interface of atomic layer deposited ZrO₂ on Si/SiO₂ from an alkoxide zirconium precursor and ethanol: A transmission electron microscopy‐focused study

Abstract

Recent developments in inherently selective atomic layer deposition (ISALD) resulted in the deposition of amorphous ZrO2 thin film on Si with a high growth rate (2 Å/cycle). The deposited film with a high dielectric constant via ISALD may be used in semiconductor processing. However, the amorphous nature of the film and the ZrO2–SiO2/Si interface must be assessed to ensure the prevention of leakage current. There is little information available in the literature regarding the ZrO2–SiO2/Si interface of atomic layer deposition (ALD) ZrO2 film. In this study, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy was extensively used to determine whether the film and the interface were crystalline or amorphous. It was interesting to find that a high‐energy electron beam can induce crystallinity in the amorphous as‐deposited ZrO2 film within minutes of exposure. Moreover, outward diffusion of the nucleated tetragonal ZrO2 away from the interface was also observed.

Large‐scale time‐lapse scanning electron microscopy image mosaic using a smooth stitching strategy

“…The processing and quantification of microscope images are frequently encountered in numerous research fields, including materials science (Saha et al, 2023), industrial manufacturing (Zhang et al, 2019), and biomedical investigation (Gamarra et al, 2019; Rundo et al, 2020; Wählby et al, 2004). With the rapid advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology, critical dimensions of concern are reaching the nanoscale, leading to a high demand for large‐scale high‐resolution analysis methods.…”