Synthesis of Zirconium Oxides on silicon by Radio-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering Deposition

Zirconium oxide films have been synthesized by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering deposition on n-Si(001) substrate with metal zirconium target at variant $O_2$ partial pressures. The influences of $O_2$ partial pressures of the morphology, deposition rate, microstructure, and the dielectric constant of $ZrO_2$ have been discussed. The results show that deposition rate of $ZrO_2$ films decreases, the roughness, and the thickness of the native $SiO_2$ interlayer increases with the increase of $O_2$ partial pressure. $ZrO_2$ films synthesized at low $O_2$ partial pressure are amorphous and monoclinic polycrystalline in nanometer scale at low $O_2$ partial pressure. The relative dielectrics of $ZrO_2$ films are in the range of 12 to 25.