Amorphous LaAlO3 deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on silicium as alternative high-κ gate in CMOS transistors

Since MOS Field Effect Transistor invention in the 60's, the exploitation of this elementary piece of technology allowed an exponential evolution in the microelectronic field, with a frantic race towards miniaturization of CMOS electronic devices. In this context, the introduction of "high-κ" oxides (notably HfO2) allowed to cross the sub-nanometer barrier of EOT (Equivalent Oxide Thickness) for the gate oxide. Current work are notably related to "high-κ" research materials and processes that would allow an abrupt and thermodynamically stable interface with respect to silicon, that may lead to EOTs of about 5Å. The purpose of this thesis was to explore the potential of amorphous oxide LaAlO3 deposited on silicon by techniques of molecular beam epitaxy, combining studies of the physicochemical and electrical properties of this system. The thesis work has first consisted in defining procedures for the preparation of very thin (≈ 4 nm), robust and reproducible layers on Si in order to allow reliable electrical measurements then to optimize the electrical quality of the hetero-structures by adjusting deposition parameters from correlations between electrical results and physicochemical properties (density, stoichiometry, chemical environment...) and finally to validate a method for integrating the material in the realization of MOSFET. The stability and reproducibility of the measurements were achieved thanks to an adapted surface preparation of the substrate and by the introduction of atomic oxygen during the LaAlO3 deposition, thus allowing homogenization of layers and reducing leakage currents. After optimizing the deposition parameters, the best structures exhibit EOTs of 8-9 A, a dielectric constant of 16 and leakage currents in the range of 10-2 A/cm². Accurate physico-chemical characterizations of thin layers by XPS revealed composition inhomogeneities that can explain why the measured κ is less than values of crystalline LaAlO3 (20-25). Although the LAO/Si interfaces are steep after deposition and LaAlO3 is thermodynamically stable with respect to the silicon, amorphous system LAO/Si has proven unstable during post-deposition annealing carried out at temperatures above 700 ° C. A process for producing MOSFETs with released dimensions was defined to test high-κ field. The first stages of the process have been validated for LaAlO3.

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Source https://theses.hal.science/tel-00694351
Author Pelloquin, Sylvain
Maintainer CCSD
Last Updated May 19, 2026, 21:59 (UTC)
Created May 19, 2026, 21:59 (UTC)
Identifier NNT: 2011ISAL0051
Language fr
Rights https://about.hal.science/hal-authorisation-v1/
contributor Institut des Nanotechnologies de Lyon (INL) ; École Centrale de Lyon (ECL) ; Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) ; Université de Lyon-École Supérieure de Chimie Physique Électronique de Lyon (CPE)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon) ; Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
creator Pelloquin, Sylvain
date 2011-12-09T00:00:00
harvest_object_id 37f1931e-4555-44d6-8dc0-99649badfad7
harvest_source_id 3374d638-d20b-4672-ba96-a23232d55657
harvest_source_title test moissonnage SELUNE
metadata_modified 2026-03-30T00:00:00
set_spec type:THESE