APPLICATIONS AND SCALING POTENTIAL OF NEODYMIUM OXIDE NANOFILMS IN MICROELECTRONICS

Abstract

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