Structural and optical properties of ZnO films grown on silicon and their applications in MOS devices in conjunction with ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript> as a gate dielectric

Photoluminescence (PL) properties of undoped ZnO thin films grown by rf magnetron sputtering on silicon substrates have been investigated. ZnO/Si substrates are characterized by Rutherford backscattering (RBS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). ZrO 2 thin films have been deposited on ZnO using microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition at a low temperature (150°C). Using metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) capacitor structures, the reliability and the leakage current characteristics of ZrO 2 films have been studied both at room and high temperatures. Schottky conduction mechanism is found to dominate the current conduction at a high temperature. Good electrical and reliability properties suggest the suitability of deposited ZrO 2 thin films as an alternative as gate dielectric on ZnO/n-Si heterostructure for future device applications.