High-throughput growth of HfO₂ films using temperature-gradient laser chemical vapor deposition

The use of hafnia (HfO₂) has facilitated recent advances in high-density microchips. However, the low deposition rate, poor controllability, and lack of systematic research on the growth mechanism limit the fabrication efficiency and further development of HfO₂ films. In this study, the high-throughput growth of HfO₂ films was realized via laser chemical vapor deposition using a laser spot with a large gradient temperature distribution (100 K mm^-1), in order to improve the experimental efficiency and controllability of the entire process. HfO₂ films fabricated by a single growth process could be divided into four regions with different morphologies, and discerned for deposition temperatures increasing from 1300 K to 1600 K. The maximum deposition rate reached 362 μm h^-1, which was 10² to 10⁴ times higher than that obtained using existing deposition methods. The dielectric constants of high-throughput HfO₂ films were in the range of 16-22, which satisfied the demand of replacing the traditional SiO₂ layer for a new generation of microchips.