The effect of an annealing process on atomic layer deposited TiO₂thin films

In this paper, we study the property changes in TiO₂thin films related to annealing under various conditions. XPS analysis showed that the concentration of oxygen vacancies in TiO₂thin films was reduced by annealing. In the case of annealing in an O₂and air atmosphere, the oxygen vacancy concentration was reduced to the greatest extent as oxygen diffused into the TiO₂thin film and rearrangement of atoms occurred. XRD analysis showed that the anatase structure of annealed TiO₂thin films was clearly present compared to the as-deposited TiO₂thin film.I-Vanalysis showed that the lower the concentration of oxygen vacancy, the lower the leakage current (O₂annealed TiO₂: 10^-4A cm^-2) than as dep TiO₂thin film (∼10^-1A cm^-2). The dielectric constant of annealed TiO₂thin films was 26-30 which was higher than the as-deposited TiO₂thin film (k ∼ 18) because the anatase structure became more apparent.