Nanoscale Visualization of the Au/HfO2/Si(001) Interface Electrostatics with BEEM

ORAL

Abstract

Understanding carrier transport through the electrostatic potential of monolayer-thick oxide layers is important for nanoscale devices. Ballistic electron emission microscopy (BEEM) is an STM-based technique which allows for the visualization of nanoscale fluctuations of metal / insulator / semiconductor interface electrostatics [1]. In this work, the electrostatic barrier of an Au/HfO2/Si(001) interface is examined with BEEM to nanoscale dimensions. Thousands of spectra are taken at equally spaced points in a grid over a square micron. Barrier heights consistent with the band offsets for SiO2, HfO2, and the Schottky barrier for gold on p-type silicon are observed. This suggests that the monolayer-thick HfO2 layer is transparent to the ballistic electrons. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy confirms the presence of native SiO2 formation, which is further supported by computational modeling.

[1] Westly Nolting, Chris Durcan, Steven Gassner, Joshua Goldberg, Robert Balsano, Vincent P. LaBella, Journal of Applied Physics, 123 245302 (2018).

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Presenters

  • Jack Rogers

    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute
    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY

Authors

  • Jack Rogers

    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute
    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY

  • Daniel Pennock

    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute

  • Hyeonseon Choi

    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute
    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY

  • Steven Gassner

    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute
    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY

  • Westly Nolting

    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute
    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY

  • Vincent LaBella

    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute
    • Nanoscience, Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute
    • Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY