Fabrication and characterization of perovskite CaZrO3 oxide thin films

Perovskite CaZrO3 oxide thin films were prepared by the sol–gel wet chemical technology to explore the possibility of CaZrO3 to be used as a gate material for MOSFET application. Calcium acetate, Ca(CH3COO)2 and zirconium acetylacetone, [CH3COCH&z.dbnd6;C(O&z.sbnd;)CH3]4Zr were chosen as precursors, diluted in acetic acid CH3COOH, then mixed and stirred to get the clear and transparent solution with desired ratio of Ca:Zr = 1:1. The spin-coating technique was then used to deposit perovskite CaZrO3 oxide thin films on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates, the wet films were then pyrolyzed and annealed at different temperatures under O2 atmosphere. These thin films were systematically characterized using differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), infrared spectra (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electrical and dielectric measurements. The high dielectric constant, low leakage current density, and high breakdown strength suggest that CaZrO3 thin films can be used in high-k applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]