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