RELAXOR FERROELECTRIC PB(MG1/3NB2/3)03 FOR THIN FILM CAPACITORS

THIS PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVE IS TO ESTABLISH THE RELAXOR FERROELECTRIC PB(MG1/2NBS/3)O3 (PMN) AS THE MATERIAL OF CHOICE FOR THIN FILM CAPACITORS IN DRAM AND ELECTRONIC PACKAGING APPLICATIONS.IN CONTRAST TO "NORMAL" FERROELECTRICS, E.G., BATIO3 AND PZT, RELAXORS OFFER HIGH DIELECTRIC CONSTANTS (K>10,000), BROAD PHASE TRANSITIONS,LOW E-FIELD DEPENDENCY OF K, AND LARGE RXC TIME CONSTANTS. IN ADDITION, THE DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES ARE LESS DEPENDENT ON MICROSTRUCTURAL FEATURES SUCH AS GRAIN SIZE OWING TO THE NANOMETER STRUCTURAL ORIGIN OF RELAXOR BEHAVIOR. IN THE PHASE I PROGRAM TWO DEPOSITION TECHNIQUES (2) SOL-GEL SPIN COATING AND (2) EXCIMER LASER ABLATION ARE PROPOSED TO PREPARE PMN-BASED FILMS. A DETAILED PROCESS-PROPERTY CORRELATION STUDY IS SCHEDULED IN PHASE I TO ALLOW OPTIMIZATION OF FILM CAPCITORS. EXTENSIVE DEVICE CHARACTERIZATION, IN TERMS OF FILM DEPOSITION AND PATTERNING TO INSURE HIGH RELIABILITY IS PLANNED FOR PHASE II INCLUDING SCALING-UP FOR ULTIMATE DRAM AND ELECTRONIC PACKAGING IMPLEMENTATION. ANTICIAPTED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS OF THE RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT. THE PLANNED PROGRAM THROUGH PHASE II, WILL ESTABLISH RELAXOR FERROELECTRIC (PMN-BASED) MATERIALS AS THE DIELECTRIC OF CHOICE FOR THIN FILM CAPACITORS. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE APPROPRIATE DEPOSITION TECHNIQUE, RELAXOR THIN FILM CAPACITORS WILL HELP LEAD TO THE NEXT GENERATION FO DRAMS AND SEMI-CONDUCTOR PACKAGING.