Final Report Summary - REALISE (Rare Earth Oxide Atomic Layer Deposition for Innovation in Electronics)
The 'Rare earth oxide atomic layer deposition for innovation in electronics' (Realise) project aimed to:
(i) deposit high permittivity rare earth oxide layers with sub-nanometer control and
(ii) integrate these into innovative memory and communications devices.
The process that is the subject of this project is atomic layer deposition (ALD), the leading technology for deposition of nanometre-scale films. Rare earth oxides were identified at the start of the project as showing promise as high-permittivity (high-k) dielectrics in nano-electronic devices, and this has been borne out by the results obtained. However, prior to the project, no satisfactory ALD process existed for these oxides. The performance of nanoelectronic devices is strongly affected by the incorporation of impurities in the material, morphological instability and the quality of the interface to the substrate. The project therefore aimed to overcome these difficulties by developing a scalable and commercialisable ALD process, of demonstrated value to the semiconductor industry, through a vertically-integrated research collaboration. Individual goals were therefore:
- design, synthesis and scale-up of suitable precursors;
- optimisation of deposition parameters;
- high-resolution characterisation of film quality and interface to Si/Ge substrate;
- scale-up new ALD process to industrially-sized Si wafers;
- integrate dielectric layers into test capacitors for innovative memory (DRAM);
- embedded electronics (NVM) and wireless (RF) applications.
The emphasis is on materials integration for high-volume production of consumer electronics devices, consistent with the IST and NMP objectives of the European Framework programmes. In this way, it is intended to strengthen high-tech industry in Europe and advance the position of European research teams as world-leaders. Both outcomes are important for the EUs Lisbon agenda, which aims to increase employment, social cohesion and economic activity through research and development.
A complete account of the plan and activity to date for exploitation of the Realise results is given in the plan for dissemination and use of knowledge. A summary is given here:
All tasks were successfully completed and all deliverables were successfully achieved. The main results of the project are:
- new precursors and materials;
- precursor products;
- precursor and process modelling;
- deposition mechanism;
- high-k deposition and characterisation;
- interface characterisation;
- process scale-up;
- DRAM technology;
- NVM technology;
- RF decoupling capacitor technology.
To date, 29 journal papers have been accepted by peer-review for publication and some more papers containing the final results are in preparation. 60 % of the publications are joint papers within the consortium.
Six patents have been filed by NXP.
Project results have been presented in 52 conference presentations, 30 % of them invited / plenary talks, and consortium members have been active in organising 15 conferences.
Total visits to webpages and downloads from the project website http://www.tyndall.ie/Realise averaged 930 hits / month over the last year of the project.
The Realise partners organised a public workshop on lanthanum oxide and three experts from outside the consortium were invited to attend.
(i) deposit high permittivity rare earth oxide layers with sub-nanometer control and
(ii) integrate these into innovative memory and communications devices.
The process that is the subject of this project is atomic layer deposition (ALD), the leading technology for deposition of nanometre-scale films. Rare earth oxides were identified at the start of the project as showing promise as high-permittivity (high-k) dielectrics in nano-electronic devices, and this has been borne out by the results obtained. However, prior to the project, no satisfactory ALD process existed for these oxides. The performance of nanoelectronic devices is strongly affected by the incorporation of impurities in the material, morphological instability and the quality of the interface to the substrate. The project therefore aimed to overcome these difficulties by developing a scalable and commercialisable ALD process, of demonstrated value to the semiconductor industry, through a vertically-integrated research collaboration. Individual goals were therefore:
- design, synthesis and scale-up of suitable precursors;
- optimisation of deposition parameters;
- high-resolution characterisation of film quality and interface to Si/Ge substrate;
- scale-up new ALD process to industrially-sized Si wafers;
- integrate dielectric layers into test capacitors for innovative memory (DRAM);
- embedded electronics (NVM) and wireless (RF) applications.
The emphasis is on materials integration for high-volume production of consumer electronics devices, consistent with the IST and NMP objectives of the European Framework programmes. In this way, it is intended to strengthen high-tech industry in Europe and advance the position of European research teams as world-leaders. Both outcomes are important for the EUs Lisbon agenda, which aims to increase employment, social cohesion and economic activity through research and development.
A complete account of the plan and activity to date for exploitation of the Realise results is given in the plan for dissemination and use of knowledge. A summary is given here:
All tasks were successfully completed and all deliverables were successfully achieved. The main results of the project are:
- new precursors and materials;
- precursor products;
- precursor and process modelling;
- deposition mechanism;
- high-k deposition and characterisation;
- interface characterisation;
- process scale-up;
- DRAM technology;
- NVM technology;
- RF decoupling capacitor technology.
To date, 29 journal papers have been accepted by peer-review for publication and some more papers containing the final results are in preparation. 60 % of the publications are joint papers within the consortium.
Six patents have been filed by NXP.
Project results have been presented in 52 conference presentations, 30 % of them invited / plenary talks, and consortium members have been active in organising 15 conferences.
Total visits to webpages and downloads from the project website http://www.tyndall.ie/Realise averaged 930 hits / month over the last year of the project.
The Realise partners organised a public workshop on lanthanum oxide and three experts from outside the consortium were invited to attend.
