Thin-Film Barrier Performance of Zirconium Oxide Using the Low-Temperature Atomic Layer Deposition Method

Abstract

In this study, ZrO2 films deposited by the atomic layer deposition method, as the encapsulation layer for organic electronics devices, were characterized. Both the effects of tetrakis (dimethylamido) zirconium(IV) growth temperature and oxidants, such as water (H2O) and ozone (O3), were investigated. The X-ray diffraction analysis shows the amorphous characteristic of the 80-nm-thick films grown at 80 °C, the crystallinity of the films was much lower than those grown at 140 and 200 °C. The scanning electron microscopy analyses showed that the surface morphology strongly depended on the crystallinity of the film. The water vapor transmission rate of the 80 nm thick ZrO2 films can be reduced from 3.74 × 10(-3) g/(m(2) day) (80 °C-H2O as the oxidant) to 6.09 × 10(-4) g/(m(2) day) (80 °C-O3 as the oxidant) under the controlled environment of 20 °C and a relative humidity of 60%. Moreover, the organic light-emitting diodes integrated with 80 °C-O3-derived ZrO2 films were undamaged, and their luminance decay time changed considerably. This was attributed to the better barrier property of the low-temperature ZrO2 film to the amorphous microscopic bulk and almost homogeneous microscopic surface.

Atomic layer deposition of zirconium dioxide from zirconium tetrachloride and ozone

“…ZrO 2 has found, in nanoelectronics, an application as a memory capacitor dielectric [6][7][8][9][10], and is investigated also as a potential dielectric for resistive random-access memories [11]. In addition, ZrO 2 has been considered as a host ion conductor material for solid oxide fuel cells [12,13] or encapsulation material layer for organic electronic devices [14]. In relation to different applications, energetically enhanced growth mechanisms of metal oxides, incl.…”

“…Often, both precursors contain hydrogen and thus the residual hydrogen content could be diminished after substituting either one or both precursors by hydrogen-free ones. ZrO 2 films have been grown by several water-free ALD processes [21], such as in those based on (C 5 H 5 )Zr(N(CH 3 ) 2 ) 3 and oxygen plasma [7,22], Zr[N(CH 3 ) 2 ] 4 and O 3 [14], Zr[N(CH 3 )(C 2 H 5 )] 4 and O 3 [6,9,11,23], Cp 2 ZrCl 2 and O 3 [13,24], or Zr(NEtMe) 3 (guanNEtMe) and O 3 [25]. Regarding metal halide based and hydrogen-free ALD processes, depositions of Al 2 O 3 from AlCl 3 and O 3 [26], TiO 2 from TiCl 4 and O 3 [27], Ta 2 O 5 from TaCl 5 and O 3 [28], HfO 2 from HfCl 4 and O 3 [29], and HfO 2 from HfI 4 and O 2 [30] have been reported.…”

A flexible transparent gas barrier film employing the method of mixing ALD/MLD-grown Al2O3 and alucone layers

“…In this study, samples with Al 2O3 (ALD) or alucone (MLD) layers were grown and characterized. All encapsulation films were deposited at a low temperature of 80°C [18,19]. We investigated single Al2O3 films with Al2O3/alucone hybrid laminate before and after a bending test.…”

A flexible transparent gas barrier film employing the method of mixing ALD/MLD-grown Al2O3 and alucone layers

“…In this study, samples with Al 2 O 3 (ALD) or alucone (MLD) layers were grown and characterized. All encapsulation films were deposited at a low temperature of 80°C [18,19]. We investigated single Al 2 O 3 films with Al 2 O 3 /alucone hybrid laminate before and after a bending test.…”