Skip to main content

Scientific and Technological Issues Related to Rare Earth Oxides: An Introduction

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Topics in Applied Physics ((TAP,volume 106))

Abstract

Significant research effort is currently being devoted to study deposition, dielectric, and electronic properties of binary rare earth oxides, as well as of complex oxides based on rare earth elements. Most of the motivations justifying this effort are found in the field of microelectronics – especially in the search of high dielectric constant oxides as candidates to substitute SiO2 – and these will be mostly discussed. Open problems and issues from the scientific and technological point of view are discussed, and applications in fields other than microelectronics (such as spintronics) are also mentioned.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • L. Petit, A. Svane, Z. Szotek, W. M. Temmerman: First principles study of rare-earth oxides, Phys. Rev. B

    Google Scholar 

  • W. M. Temmerman, Z. Szotek, A. Svane, P. Strange, H. Winter, A. Delin, B. Johansson, O. Eriksson, L. Fast, J. M. Wills: Electronic configuration of ytterbium compounds, Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 3900 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. Horne, P. Strange, W. M.Temmerman, Z. Szotek, A. Svane, H. Winter: The electronic structure of europium chalcogenides and pnictides, J. Phys. Condens. Matter 16, 5061 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A. Svane, V. Kanchana, G. Vaitheeswaran, G. Santi, W. M. Temmerman, Z. Szotek, P. Strange, L. Petit: Electronic structure of samarium monopnictides and monochalcogenides, Phys. Rev. B 71, 45119 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Villars, L. D. Calvert: Pearson's handbook of crystallographic data for intermetallic phases, 2 ed. (ASM International, Ohio 1991)

    Google Scholar 

  • J. M. Leger, N. Yacoubi, J. Loriers: Synthesis of rare earth monoxides, J. Sol. State Chem. 36, 1981 (1981)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Y. Sakabe, Y. Hamaji, H. Sano, N. Wada: Effects of rare-earth oxides on the reliability of X7R dielectrics, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 41, 5668 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • G. D. Wilk, R. M. Wallace, J. M. Anthony: High-κgate dielectrics: current status and materials properties, J. Appl. Phys. 89, 5243 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • D. G. Schlom, J. H. Haeni: A thermodynamic approach to selecting alternative gate deielctrics, MRS Bull. 27, 198 (2002)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • J. P. Liu, P. Zaumseil, E. Bugiel, H. J. Osten: Epitaxial growth of Pr2O3 on Si(111) and the observation of a hexagonal to cubic phase transition during post-growth N2 annealing, Appl. Phys. Lett. 79, 671 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. Hong, J. Kwo, A. R. Kortan, J. P. Mannaerts, A. M. Sergent: Epitaxial cubic gadolinium oxide as a dielectric for gallium arsenide passivation, Science 283, 1897 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • V. Narayanan, S. Guha, M. Copel, N. A. Bojarczuk, P. L. Flaitz, M. Gribelyuk: Interfacial oxide formation and oxygen diffusion in rare earth oxide – silicon epitaxial heterostructures, Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 4183 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • S. Stemmer: Thermodynamic considerations in the stability of binary oxides for alternative gate dielectrics in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductors, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 22, 791 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • L. Marsella, V. Fiorentini: Structure and stability of rare-earth and transition-metal oxides, Phys. Rev. B 69, 172103 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G. Scarel, E. Bonera, C. Wiemer, G. Tallarida, S. Spiga, M. Fanciulli, I. Fedushkin, H. Schumann, Y. Lebedinskii, A. Zenkevich: Atomic layer deposition of Lu203, Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 630 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. Malvestuto, G. Scarel, C. Wiemer, M. Fanciulli, F. D'Acapito, F. Boscherini: X-ray absorption spectroscopy study of Yb203 and Lu203 thin films deposited on Si(100) by atomic layer deposition, Nuc. Instr. Method. B 246, 90 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • H. Schumann, I. Fedushkin, M. Hummert, G. Scarel, E. Bonera, M. Fanciulli: Crystal and molecular structure of [(η 5-c5h4sime3)2lucl]2 – suitable precursor for Lu203 films, Z. Naturforsch. 59b, 1035 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • M. F. Fischetti, D. A. Neumayer, E. A. Cartier: Effective electron mobility in Si inversion layers in metal-oxide-semiconductor systems with a high-κ insulator: the role of remote phonon scattering, J. Appl. Phys. 90, 4587 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • N. V. Skorodumova, S. I. Simak, B. I. Lundqvist, I. A. Abrikosov, B. Johansson: Quantum origin of the oxygen storage capability of ceria, Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 166601 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • J. Lettieri, V. Vaithyanathan, S. K. Eah, J. Stephens, V. Sih, D. D. Awschalom, J. Levy, D. G. Schlom: Epitaxial growth and magnetic properties of EuO on (001) Si by molecular-beam epitaxy, Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, 975 (2003)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A. V. Prokofiev, A. I. Shelyakh, B. T. Melekh: Periodicity in the band gap variation of Ln2X3 (X = O, S, Se) in the lanthanide series, J. All. Comp. 242, 41 (1996)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • H. B. Lal, K. Gaur: Electrical conduction in non-metallic rare-earth solids, J. Mater. Sci. 23, 919 (1988)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • I. A. Bersuker: Electronic Structure and Properties of Transition Metal Compounds (Wiley 1996) Chap. 7

    Google Scholar 

  • G. Lucovsky, Y. Zhang, G. B. Rayner, G. Appel, H. Ade, J. L. Whitten: Electronic structure of high-transition metal oxides and their silicate and aluminate alloys, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 20, 1739 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • G. Lucovsky, J. P. Maria, J. C. Phillips: Interfacial strain-induced self-organization in semiconductor dielectric gate stacks. II. Strain-relief at internal dielectric interfaces between SiO2 and alternative gate dielectrics, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 22, 2097 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G. Seguini, E. Bonera, S. Spiga, G. Scarel, M. Fanciulli: Energy-band diagram of metal/Lu203/silicon structures, Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 5316 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • J. Dabrowski, V. Zavodinsky, A. Fleszar: Pseudopotential study of PrO2 and HfO2 in fluorite phase, Microelectron. Rel. 41, 1093 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • L. Hedin: On the correlation effects in electron spectroscopies and the GW approximation, J. Phys. Condens. Matter 11, R489 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • J. Robertson: Electronic structure and band-offsets of high-dielectric-constant gate oxides, MRS Bull. 27, 217 (2002)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • V. V. Afanas'ev, A. Stesmans, F. Chen, X. Shi, S. A. Campbell: Internal photoemission of electrons and holes from (100)Si into HfO2, Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 1053 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • H. J. Osten, J. P. Liu, H. J. Müssig: Band gap and band discontinuities at crystalline Pr2O3/Si(001) heterojunctions, Appl. Phys. Lett. 80, 297 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Y. Nishikawa, T. Yamaguchi, M. Yoshiki, H. Satake, N. Fukushima: Interfacial properties of single crystalline CeO2 high-gate dielectrics directly grown on Si(111), Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 4386 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • V. A. Rozhkov, A. Y. Trusova: Energy barriers at the interfaces in the MIS system Me–Yb2O3–Si, Tech. Phys. 44, 404 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T. Hattori, T. Yoshida, T. Shiraishi, K. Takahashi, H. Nohira, S. Joumori, K. Nakajima, M. Suzuki, K. Kimura, I. Kashiwagi, C. Ohshima, S. Ohmi, H. Iwai: Composition, chemical structure, and electronic band structure of rare earth oxide/Si(100) interfacial transition layer, Microel. Eng. 72, 283 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • E. Bonera, G. Scarel, M. Fanciulli, P. Delugas, V. Fiorentini: Dielectric properties of high-κoxides: Theory and Experiment for Lu2O3, Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 27602 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • G. V. Samsonov, I. Y. Gil'man: Electronic structure and physical properties of the oxides of the lanthanides, Soviet Powder Metallurgy and Metal Ceramics 13, 925 (1974)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P. Delugas, V. Fiorentini: Dielectric properties of the two phases of crystalline lutetium oxide, Microelectron. Rel. 45, 831 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • S. Ohmi, C. Kobayashi, I. Kashiwagi, C. Ohshima, H. Ishiwara, H. Iwai: Characterization of La2O3 and Yb2O3 thin films for high-k gate insulator application, J. Electrochem. Soc. 150, F134 (2003)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • H. Yamada, T. Shimizu, A. Kurokawa, K. Ishii, E. Suzuki: MOCVD of high-dielectric-constant lanthanum oxide thin films, J. Electrochem. Soc. 150, G429 (2003)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A. Fissel, H. J. Osten, E. Bugiel: Towards understanding epitaxial growth of alternative high-dielectrics on Si(001): Application to praseodymium oxide, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 21, 1765 (2003)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • K. Kukli, M. Ritala, T. Pilvi, T. Sajavaara, M. Leskelä, A. C. Jones, H. C. Aspinall, D. G. Gilmer, P. J. Tobin: Evaluation of a praseodymium precursor for atomic layer deposition of oxide dielectric films, Chem. Mater. 16, 5162 (2004)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • L. Tye, N. A. El-Masry, T. Chikyow, P. McLarty, S. M. Bedair: Electrical characteristics of epitaxial CeO2 on Si(111), Appl. Phys. Lett. 65, 3081 (1994)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T. R. Griffiths, M. J. Davies, H. V. S. A. Hubbard: Spectroscopic studies on single crystals having the fluorite lattics, J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans. II 4, 765 (1976)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. A. Dakhel: Characterisation of Nd2O3 thick gate dielectric for silicon, Phys. Stat. Sol. (a) 201, 745 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • J. Päiväsaari, M. Putkonen, L. Niinistö: A comparative study on lanthanide oxide thin films grown by atomic layer deposition, Thin Solid Films 472, 275 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A. A. Dakhel: Dielectric and optical properties of samarium oxide thin films, J. All. Comp. 365, 233 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • P. Watcher: Europium Chalcogenides: EuO, EuS, EuSe, and EuTe, in K. A. Gschneider, Jr., L. Eyring (Eds.): Handbook on the Physics and Chemistry of Rare Earths

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Kwo, M. Hong, B. Busch, D. A. Muller, Y. J. Chabal, A. R. Kortan, J. P. Mannaerts, B. Yang, P. Ye, H. Grossmann, A. M. Sergent, K. K. Ng, J. Bude, W. H. Schulte, E. Garfunkel, T. Gustafsson: International conference on molecular beam epitaxy (cat. no. 02ex607), in (2002) p. 47

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Landheer, J. A. Gupta, G. I. Sproule, J. P. McCaffrey, M. J. Graham, K.-C. Yang, Z.-H. Lu, W. N. Lennard: Characterization of Gd2O3 films deposited on Si(100) by electron-beam evaporation, J. Electrochem. Soc. 148, G29 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. P. Singh, C. S. Thakur, K. Shalini, S. Banerjee, N. Bhat, S. A. Shivashankar: J. Appl. Phys. 96, 5631 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • V. Mikhelashvili, G. Eisenstein, F. Edelman, R. Brener, N. Zakharov, P. Werner: Structural and electrical properties of electron beam gun evaporated Er2O3 insulator thin films, J. Appl. Phys. 95, 613 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T. Zdanovicz, L. Zdanowicz: Preparation and some electrical properties of thulium oxide films, Thin Solid Films 58, 390 (1979)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S. Ohmi, M. Takeda, H. Ishiwara, H. Iwai: Electrical characteristics for Lu2O3 thin films fabricated by e-beam deposition method, J. Electrochem. Soc. 151, G279 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R. D. Shannon: Dielectric polarizabilities of ions in oxides and fluorides, J. Appl. Phys. 73, 348 (1993)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • S. Jeon, H. Hwang: Effect of hygroscopic nature on the electrical characteristics of lanthanide oxides (Pr2O3, Sm2O3, Gd2O3, and Dy2O3), J. Appl. Phys. 93, 6393 (2003)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • B. B. Van Aken, T. T. M. Palstra: Influence of magnetic on ferroelectric ordering in LuMnO3, Phys. Rev. B 69, 134113 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Marco Fanciulli Giovanna Scarel

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Scarel, G., Svane, A., Fanciulli, M. Scientific and Technological Issues Related to Rare Earth Oxides: An Introduction. In: Fanciulli, M., Scarel, G. (eds) Rare Earth Oxide Thin Films. Topics in Applied Physics, vol 106. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg . https://doi.org/10.1007/11499893_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics