Improved Capacitance Density and Reliability of High-$ \kappa$ $\hbox{Ni}/\hbox{ZrO}_{2}/\hbox{TiN}$ MIM Capacitors Using Laser-Annealing Technique

We have fabricated high-κ Ni/ZrO
₂
/TiN metal-insulator-metal capacitors with a very high 52-fF/μm
²
capacitance density, a low leakage current of 1.6 × 10
^-7
A/cm
²
, and good ten-year reliability with a small ΔC/C of 1.7% at 2 V. From X-ray diffraction measurements, laser annealing can improve the permittivity of ZrO
₂
due to tetragonal-phase formation which in turn helps enhance capacitance density and reliability. Such excellent device integrity is attributed to the combination of enhanced ZrO
₂
tetragonal phase by laser annealing, high work-function Ni electrode, and good bottom-interface treatment.