Wang Lei. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / List of Figures --- p.vi / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Scaling issues of Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor field effect transistor --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Alternative high-k gate dielectrics --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Overview of this thesis --- p.9 / References --- p.10 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Deposition and characterization techniques for ultrathin HfO2 films --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2 --- Ultrathin Hf02 Films Growth and Post Deposition Modification --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Ultrahigh Vacuum Electron-beam Evaporation --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- High Concentration Ozone Annealing --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Rapid Thermal Annealing --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3 --- Compositional Characterization Techniques --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry --- p.18 / Chapter 2.4 --- Structural and Surface Morphological Characterization Techniques --- p.19 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy --- p.19 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Ultrahigh Vacuum Scanning Tunneling Microscopy --- p.20 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Ultrahigh Vacuum Atomic Force Microscopy --- p.22 / Chapter 2.5 --- Electrical Characterization --- p.24 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Capacitance-voltage (C-V) Measurement --- p.24 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Current-voltage (I-V) Measurement --- p.25 / References --- p.26 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Control of interfacial silicate between Hf and SiO2 by high concentration ozone --- p.27 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.27 / Chapter 3.2 --- Experimental procedure --- p.28 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results and discussion --- p.29 / Chapter 3.4 --- Conclusion --- p.35 / References --- p.36 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Electrical characteristics of postdepositon annealed ultrathin Hf02 films --- p.37 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.37 / Chapter 4.2 --- Capacitance of gate stack in metal-insulator-semiconductor structure --- p.38 / Chapter 4.3 --- Electrical characteristics of ultrathin HfO2 films by high temperature Ozone oxidation --- p.39 / Chapter 4.4 --- Electrical and structural properties of ultrathin HfO2 films by high temperature rapid thermal annealing --- p.46 / Chapter 4.5 --- Conclusion --- p.48 / References --- p.50 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Effect of nitrogen incorporation on thermal stability of ultrathin Hf02 films --- p.51 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.51 / Chapter 5.2 --- Experimental procedure --- p.52 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results and discussion --- p.52 / Chapter 5.4 --- Conclusion --- p.58 / References --- p.59 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Local characterization of ultrathin HfO2 films by in-situ Ultrahigh Vacuum Scanning Probe Microscopy --- p.61 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.61 / Chapter 6.2 --- Experimental procedure --- p.62 / Chapter 6.3 --- Morphology and structure of initial growth of HfO2 --- p.63 / Chapter 6.4 --- Local characterization of ultrathin HfO2 films by in-situ UHV-STM --- p.66 / Chapter 6.5 --- UHV c-AFM study of leakage path evolution in ultrathin Hf02 films --- p.71 / Chapter 6.6 --- Conclusion --- p.72 / References --- p.73 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Conclusion --- p.74 / Publications --- p.76