Current mechanism in HfO 2-gated metal-oxide-semiconductor devices

The present study aimed to examine the current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics of Al/HfO2/p-Si (MOS) structure at temperatures ranging between 100 and 320 K and to determine the structure’s current transport mechanism. The HfO2 film was coated on a single side of the p-Si (111) crystal using the spin coating method. The J-V measurements of the obtained structure at the temperatures between 100 and 320 K revealed that the current transport mechanism in the structure was compatible with the Schottky emission theory. The Schottky emission theory was also used to calculate the structure’s Schottky barrier heights (φB), dielectric constants (εr) and refractive index values of the thin films at each temperature value. The dielectric constant and refractive index values were observed to decrease at decreasing temperatures. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductancevoltage (G/ω-V) characteristics of Al/HfO2/p-Si (MOS) structure was measured in the temperature range of 100–320 K. The values of measured C and G/ω decrease in accumulation and depletion regions with decreasing temperature due to localized Nss at Si/HfO2 interface.