Low temperature radio-frequency-sputtered (Ba, Sr)TiO3 films on Pt/TiN/Ti/Si substrates with various oxygen/argon mixing ratios

(Ba, Sr) TiO3 (BST) films were fabricated on Pt/TiN/Ti/Si substrates by low temperature radio frequency magnetron cosputtering at 300degreesC. Material and electrical properties of BST films sputtered at low temperatures are significantly affected by the O-2/(Ar + O-2) mixing ratio (OMR). Plasma emission spectra indicate that the deposition rate declines at a higher OMR due to oxide formation on the target surface. The dielectric constant of the BST films can reach a maximum of 364 at 5% OMR. The ten-year lifetime of the time-dependent dielectric breakdown implies that the reliability of the capacitor can be enhanced at a higher OMR due to compensation of oxygen vacancies and smaller grain sizes. Current-voltage analysis indicates that the leakage current of the Pt/BST/Pt capacitor is limited by Schottky emission (SE)/Poole-Frenkel emission (PF) at a lower/higher applied field. The applied field boundary between SE and PF shifts toward higher field as OMR increases. Moreover, an energy band model was proposed and this leakage mechanism was discussed. (C) 2003 The Electrochemical Society.