Investigation of high-k yttrium copper titanate thin films as alternative gate dielectrics

Nearly amorphous high-k yttrium copper titanate thin films deposited by laser ablation were investigated in both metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) and metal-insulator-metal (MIM) junctions in order to assess the potentialities of this material as a gate oxide. The trend of dielectric parameters with film deposition shows a wide tunability for the dielectric constant and AC conductivity, with a remarkably high dielectric constant value of up to 95 for the thick films and conductivity as low as 6 x 10(-10) S cm(-1) for the thin films deposited at high oxygen pressure. The AC conductivity analysis points out a decrease in the conductivity, indicating the formation of a blocking interface layer, probably due to partial oxidation of the thin films during cool-down in an oxygen atmosphere. Topography and surface potential characterizations highlight differences in the thin film microstructure as a function of the deposition conditions; these differences seem to affect their electrical properties.