The Effect of Interfacial and Bulk Free Energies on the Leakage Current vs Voltage Charcteristics of High-K MIM Capacitors Prepared by Atomic Layer Deposition

Basic thermodynamics principle is used to explain the asymmetrical I-V characteristics of high-k MIM capacitors prepared by atomic layer deposition. The interfacial and bulk free energy differences between the amorphous and polycrystalline forms of high-k dielectric are important.