Improvement of physical properties of MOS devices based on rare earth oxides

We have successfully deposited a thin film of rare earth oxide on a Si substrate. After morphological characterization via a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope, the electrical properties of the Al/Dy2O3/Si MOS structure were investigated using the current-voltage I(V) and capacitance-voltage C(V) measurements, as well as a study in the dynamic regime (AC) via conductance-frequency sigma(f) measurements at different temperatures. Based on the classical Schottky model, we were able to determine some physical parameters, namely, the ideality factor and the potential barrier height. The effect of resistance and interface states on the current-voltage characteristics is observable and results in a deviation from the ideality factor. Then, dielectric data have been acquired by means of impedance spectroscopy over a wide frequency and temperature range. These results show that understanding the temperature dependence of the electrical characteristics of this structure may be of great help in improving the quality of Dy2O3 developed on a Si substrate for the future of device technology.