Gadolinium silicate films on Si(100) annealed in O and vacuum at up to 800C were analyzed by Rutherford back-scattering and narrow resonance nuclear profiling. Oxygen diffused into the film eliminating O vacancies, but Si diffusion, previously observed in Al and Y oxides and in La and Zr silicate films, was absent. Higher-temperature annealing in O resulted in the formation of an interfacial layer observable in high-resolution electron micrographs. Gd0.23Si0.14O0.63 films crystallized between 1000 and 1050C.

Thermal Stability and Diffusion in Gadolinium Silicate Gate Dielectric Films. D.Landheer, X.Wu, J.Morais, I.J.R.Baumvol, R.P.Pezzi, L.Miotti, W.N.Lennard, J.K.Kim: Applied Physics Letters, 2001, 79[16], 2618-20