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Reference Number EP/C003101/1
Title Performance, degradation and defect structure of MOS devices using high-k materials as gate dielectrics
Status Completed
Energy Categories Energy Efficiency(Other) 100%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Professor S Hall
No email address given
Electrical Engineering and Electronics
University of Liverpool
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 March 2005
End Date 29 February 2008
Duration 36 months
Total Grant Value £191,496
Industrial Sectors Electronics
Region North West
Programme Information & Communication Technology, Materials, Mechanical and Medical Eng, Physical Sciences
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Professor S Hall , Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool (99.999%)
  Other Investigator Dr O (Octavian ) Buiu , LOT-QuantumDesign GmbH, Germany (0.001%)
  Recognised Researcher Dr S Taylor , University of Liverpool (0.000%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , University of Glasgow (0.000%)
Project Contact , IMEC, Belgium (0.000%)
Project Contact , International SEMATECH, USA (0.000%)
Project Contact , NMRC - National Microelectronics Research Centre, Ireland (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract The transistors in successive generations of integrated circuits have increased in speed, use less power and cost less because of diminishing transistor sizes. Unfortunately, it is not possible to reduce the operating voltage with the same scaling factors as the physical size so the electric fields in the transistor have increased dramatically. The silicon dioxide which is used as the gate of these transistors is now so thin that a significant current flows through this insulating layer at normal operating voltages because of tunnelling. This increases power consumption and reduces reliability. Future transistor generations will need a gate dielectric of higher permittivity (high-k) that will allow a larger physical thickness to be used without increasing the equivalent electrical thickness. This is the most important single issue facing the development of integrated circuits at the moment. The high-k materials proposed by the industry (materials based on hafnium oxide are favouredatthe moment) are physically and chemically very different to silicon dioxide. Considering the importance of this technological leap surprisingly little is known about their interface characteristics with silicon or about the trapping sites in the oxide. In this research programme three NW Universities will collaborate with IMEC in Belgium, SEMATECH in the USA, NMRC in Ireland, Imperial College and Glasgow University to achieve an understanding of the underlying science of these gate dielectrics.This will be done by applying both novel research tools and industry standard methods to analyse the interface and bulk trapping centres and to observe their evolution under electrical stress. A key issue will be the role of hydrogen and deuterium in these materials and the physical and electronic structure of the traps
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Added to Database 01/01/07