Nanostructuring of ultra-thin HfO2 layers for high-k/III-V device application

We report on the nanopatterning by electron beam lithography (EBL) and reactive ion etching (RIE) in a SF6/Ar+ plasma of ultra-thin HfO2 films deposited on GaAs (001) substrates for gate oxide application in next generation III-V metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs). Characterization of the HfO2/GaAs nanostructured samples by atomic force microscopy (AFM), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy microanalysis (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has shown the formation of well defined HfO2 patterns with nanometre-scale linewidth control and anisotropic profiles. In addition, atomically smooth, stoichiometric and residue-free bottom GaAs etched lines with a lateral dimension of approximately 50 nm have been demonstrated.