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Fabrication of sub-5 nm uniform zirconium oxide films on corrugated copper substrates by a scalable polymer brush assisted deposition method

Yadav, Pravind orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-7267-9142, Singh, Sajan orcid logoORCID: 0009-0006-3617-0548, Prochukhan, Nadezda orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-2535-7132, Davó-Quiñonero, Arantxa orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-9776-3458, Conway, Jim orcid logoORCID: 0000-0003-4282-2240, Gatensby, Riley orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-3941-6121, Padmanabhan, Sibu C. orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-2489-4307, Snelgrove, Matthew orcid logoORCID: 0000-0003-0344-1146, McFeely, Caitlin orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-0447-8250, Shiel, Kyle, O'Connor, Robert orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-5794-6188, McGlynn, Enda orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-3412-9035, Turner, Miles M. orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-9713-6198, Lundy, Ross orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-1329-8614 and Morris, Michael A. orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-8756-4068 (2023) Fabrication of sub-5 nm uniform zirconium oxide films on corrugated copper substrates by a scalable polymer brush assisted deposition method. Applied Surface Science, 627 . ISSN 0169-4332

Abstract
We demonstrate a polymer brush assisted approach for the fabrication of continuous zirconium oxide (ZrO2) films over large areas with high uniformity (pin-hole free) on copper (Cu) substrates. This approach involves the use of a thiol-terminated polymethyl methacrylate brush (PMMA-SH) as the template layer for the selective infiltration of zirconium oxynitrate (ZrN2O7). The preparation of a highly uniform covalently grafted polymer monolayer on the Cu substrate is the critical factor in fabricating a metal oxide film of uniform thickness across the surface. Infiltration is reliant on the chemical interactions between the polymer functional group and the metal precursor. A following reductive H2 plasma treatment process results in ZrO2 film formation whilst the surface Cu2O passive oxide layer was reduced to a Cu/Cu2O interface. Fundamental analysis of the infiltration process and the resulting ZrO2 film was determined by XPS, and GA-FTIR. Results derived from these techniques confirm the inclusion of the ZrN2O7 into the polymer films. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray mapping analysis corroborate the formation of ZrO2 layer at Cu substrate. We believe that this quick and facile methodology to prepare ZrO2 films is potentially scalable to other high-κ dielectric materials of high interest in microelectronic applications.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Additional Information:Article number: 157329
Uncontrolled Keywords:Polymer brush monolayer; Selective Infiltration; High-κ dielectric; Metal-oxide; Microelectronics
Subjects:Engineering > Materials
Physical Sciences > Chemistry
Physical Sciences > Nanotechnology
Physical Sciences > Organic chemistry
Physical Sciences > Spectrum analysis
Physical Sciences > Thin films
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science and Health > School of Physical Sciences
Research Institutes and Centres > National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology (NCPST)
Publisher:Elsevier
Official URL:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2023.157329
Copyright Information:© 2023 The Authors
Funders:Science Foundation Ireland grant numbers 12/RC/2278_P2 and 16/SP/3809, European Regional Development Fund and the European Structural and Investment Fund of the Science Foundation Ireland
ID Code:28294
Deposited On:28 Apr 2023 10:13 by Enda Mcglynn . Last Modified 05 Dec 2023 15:11
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