Ultrathin oxide films on semiconductors

Abstract

A method of making a semiconductor structure includes contacting a surface of a semiconductor with a liquid including Zr 4 (OPr n ) 16 to form a modified surface, activating the modified surface, and repeating the contacting and activating to form a layer of zirconia on the semiconductor surface.

1 - 34 . (Cancelled).  
     
     
         35 . A semiconductor structure comprising: 
 a semiconductor substrate; and    a layer comprising zirconia on the substrate; the layer having an equivalent oxide thickness of not more than 2 nanometers;    wherein the semiconductor structure has a leakage current less than 0.002 A/cm 2  when subjected to a potential of 1 volt.    
     
     
         36 . The semiconductor structure of  claim 35 , wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises silicon.  
     
     
         37 . The semiconductor structure of  claim 36 , wherein the semiconductor substrate is Si(111).  
     
     
         38 . The semiconductor structure of  claim 35 , wherein the semiconductor structure has a leakage current less than 0.001 A/cm 2  when subjected to a potential of 1 volt.  
     
     
         39 . The semiconductor structure of  claim 35 , wherein the layer is formed by contacting the substrate with a liquid comprising Zr 4 (OPr n ) 16  to form a modified surface, activating the modified surface, and repeating the contacting and activating.  
     
     
         40 . The semiconductor structure of  claim 39 , wherein the Zr 4 (OPr n ) 16  is analytically pure and the liquid is anhydrous.  
     
     
         41 . The semiconductor structure of  claim 35 , wherein the layer is formed by contacting the substrate with an anhydrous liquid comprising analytically pure Zr 4 (OPr n ) 16  to form a modified surface, hydrolyzing the modified surface, repeating the contacting and hydrolyzing, and heat treating the structure after the contacting and hydrolyzing.  
     
     
         42 . A metal oxide semiconductor capacitor comprising: 
 a semiconductor substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface;    a layer comprising zirconia on the first surface;    a first layer of a conductor on at least a portion of the zirconia layer; and    a second layer of a conductor on at least a portion of the second surface;    wherein the capacitor has a leakage current less than 0.002 A/cm 2  when subjected to a potential of 1 volt in accumulation.    
     
     
         43 . The metal oxide semiconductor capacitor of  claim 42 , wherein the capacitor has a stretchout of less than 1.5 volts.  
     
     
         44 . The metal oxide semiconductor capacitor of  claim 42 , wherein the capacitor has a stretchout of less than 1 volt.  
     
     
         45 . The metal oxide semiconductor capacitor of  claim 42 , wherein the capacitor has a stretchout of less than 0.7 volt.  
     
     
         46 . The metal oxide semiconductor capacitor of  claim 42 , wherein the capacitor has a leakage current less than 0.001 A/cm 2  when subjected to a potential of 1 volt in accumulation.  
     
     
         47 . The metal oxide semiconductor capacitor of  claim 42 , wherein the layer comprising zirconia has an equivalent oxide thickness of not more than 2 nanometers.  
     
     
         48 . The metal oxide semiconductor capacitor of  claim 42 , wherein the semiconductor comprises silicon.  
     
     
         49 . The metal oxide semiconductor capacitor of  claim 42 , wherein the first and second layers of conductor comprise a conducting metal.  
     
     
         50 . The metal oxide semiconductor capacitor of  claim 49 , wherein the first and second layers of conductor independently comprise a member selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper and gold.  
     
     
         51 - 54 . (Cancelled).  
     
     
         55 . A semiconductor device, comprising the semiconductor structure of  claim 35 .  
     
     
         56 . A semiconductor device, comprising the metal oxide semiconductor capacitor of  claim 42 .  
     
     
         57 . An electronic device, comprising the semiconductor device of  claim 55 .  
     
     
         58 . An electronic device, comprising the semiconductor device of  claim 56.