LAUSR

Abstract The effects of different rapid thermal annealing (RTA) and microwave annealing (MWA) on the electrical behaviors of ZrO2 metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors were studied in detail. The maximum capacitance density was achieved at 1400 W for MWA, i.e. ∼29.29 fF/μm2 increased by ∼40% compared with that of the un-annealed capacitors. For the capacitors under RTA at 370 °C, equivalent to the ambient of the MWA at 1400 W, the capacitance density is ∼28.04 fF/μm2. Moreover, the leakage current density of ZrO2 MIM capacitors for MWA at 1400 W and RTA at 370 °C are determined to be about 3.55 × 10−7 A/cm2 and 1.88 × 10-6 A/cm2 at the applied voltage of -1.5 V, respectively. Finally, the possible mechanisms of the improved electrical properties of ZrO2 MIM capacitors through MWA were proposed.