The effect of an annealing process on atomic layer deposited TiO2 thin 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.