Rare Earth Oxide Thin Films: Growth, Characterization, and Applications [Paperback]

Thin rare earth (RE) oxide films are emerging materials for microelectronic, nanoelectronic, and spintronic applications. The state-of-the-art of thin film deposition techniques as well as the structural, physical, chemical, and electrical properties of thin RE oxide films and of their interface with semiconducting substrates are discussed. The aim is to identify proper methodologies for the development of RE oxides thin films and to evaluate their effectiveness as innovative materials in different applications.

Introduction.- ALD, MOCVD, and MBE deposition of rare earth oxides. - Requirements of precursor for MOCVD and ALD of rare earth oxides.- Models for ALD and MOCVD growth of rare earth oxides.- Growth of oxides with complex stoichiometry by ALD, e.g. La1-xCaxMnO3.- Fabrication and characterization of rare earth scandate thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition.- Film and interface layer composition of rare earth (Lu, Yb) oxides deposited by ALD.- Local atomic environment of high-k oxides on silicon probed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques (TEM-EELS).- Strain-relief at internal dielectric interfaces in high-k gate stacks with transition metal and rare earth atom oxide dielectrics.- Electrical characterization of rare earth oxides grown by ALD.- Dielectric properties of rare-earth oxides: general trends from theory.- Charge traps in high-k dielectrics: ab initio study of defects in Pr-based materials.- Experimental determination of the band offset of rare earth oxides on various semiconductors.- Band edge electronic structure, and band offsets of transition metal/rare earth oxide dielectrics.- Rare earth oxides in microelectronics.- Requirements of oxides as gate dielectrics for CMOS devices, and ultimate scaling.- The magneto-electric properties of RMnO compounds.- Sesquioxides as host materials for rare-earth-doped bulk lasers and active waveguides.

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