Passivation of Ge(100)∕GeO[sub 2]∕high-κ Gate Stacks Using Thermal Oxide Treatments

The physical and electrical properties of gate stacks, where the interlayer is thermally grown in molecular oxygen, are investigated. The high-κ layer ( , , or ) is deposited in situ on the interlayer by atomic layer deposition. Detailed analysis of the capacitance-voltage and conductance-frequency characteristics of these devices provides evidence for the efficient passivation of the Ge(100) surface by its thermal oxide layer. A larger flatband voltage hysteresis is observed in -based gate stacks, as compared to gate stacks, which is possibly related to the more pronounced intermixing observed between the and .