APPLICATIONS AND SCALING POTENTIAL OF NEODYMIUM OXIDE NANOFILMS IN MICROELECTRONICS

The AC conduction mechanism of vacuum deposited Neodymium Oxide (Nd2O3) nano films with Aluminium top and counter electrodes were investigated at temperature range 302-528 K and within the thickness range 90-175 nm. The variations of capacitance (C) with frequency (0.06-50 kHz) at different temperatures were also observed. It was found that the capacitance was frequency dependent at all temperatures but almost independent in the high frequency range beyond 1 kHz. From the variation of dielectric loss (tanδ) with frequency it was seen that tanδ values decrease rapidly with frequency and attains a minimum value. The variation of C with T at various frequencies was also studied and was found that C almost remain constant almost upto 440 K and then increases sharply with temperature. At low frequencies C increases sharply with temperature. From the tanδ versus T characteristics at different frequencies it was observed that in the temperature range upto 460 K. tanδ almost remained constant but increased sharply with T at frequencies below 1 kHz or below. A non-linear variation of 1/C2 with voltage did not indicate the presence of Schottky barriers. Nd2O3 nano films show low capacitance density 0.0021 µF cm-2 and low dielectric loss 0.008 at 1 kHz and at 300 K. On account of stable properties, low dielectric loss and high dielectric constant the application of Nd2O3 nano films in electronic microcircuits will give promising result.