Tailoring structural and optical properties of Si-doped HfO2 thin films via target composition and plasma environment

Optical and structural properties of as-deposited Si-doped HfO2 thin films were investigated as a function of target composition, substrate temperature (100…500 °C), and plasma environment. The films were deposited on Si (100) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering from composite Si:HfO2 targets in either pure argon or argon–hydrogen plasma. The Si content in the films was varied by adjusting the target composition, the hydrogen fraction in the plasma, and the total pressure. TEM, FT...