Plasma-enhanced flexible metal-insulator-metal capacitor using high-k ZrO2 film as gate dielectric with improved reliability

Abstract We demonstrate a new flexible metal–insulator–metal capacitor using 9.5-nm-thick ZrO 2 film on a plastic polyimide substrate based on a simple and low-cost sol–gel precursor spin-coating process. The surface morphology of the ZrO 2 film was investigated using scan electron microscope and atomic force microscope. The as-deposited ZrO 2 film under suitable treatment of oxygen (O 2 ) plasma and then subsequent annealing at 250 °C exhibits superior low leakage current density of 9.0 × 10 −9  A/cm 2 at applied voltage of 5 V and maximum capacitance density of 13.3 fF/μm 2 at 1 MHz. The as-deposited sol–gel film was completely oxidized when we employed O 2 plasma at relatively low temperature and power (30 W), hence enhancing the electrical performance of the capacitor. The shift (Zr 3d from 184.1 eV to 184.64 eV) in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the binding energy of the electrons towards higher binding energy; clearly indicates that the O 2 plasma reaction was most effective process for the complete oxidation of the sol–gel precursor at relatively low processing temperature.