Gadolinium scandate as an alternative gate dielectric in field effect transistors on conventional and strained silicon

Long channel n-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors on thin conventional and strained silicon on insulator substrates have been prepared by integrating gadolinium scandate as high-κ gate dielectric in a gate last process. The GdScO₃ films were deposited by electron beam evaporation and subsequently annealed in oxygen atmosphere. Electrical characterization of readily processed devices reveals well behaved output and transfer characteristics with high I _on/I _off ratios of 10⁶–10⁸, and steep inverse subthreshold slopes down to 66 mV/dec. Carrier mobilities of 155 cm²/Vs for the conventional and 366 cm²/Vs for the strained silicon substrates were determined.