Self-Assembled 3-Mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) ON Ba_0.5Sr_0.5TiO₃ as an Adhesion Layer for Microwave Devices

Abstract

The use of self-assembled monolayers in patterning, adhesion studies, corrosion protection, and electronic devices is a growing research field. Here we discuss the use of (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPS) as an adhesion layer in microwave components using metal-ferroelectric thin film-dielectric heterostructures. The MPS has been used as an adhesion layer between a ferroelectric thin film and gold (Au) in the development of tunable microwave components. The system studied was the metal/ferroelectric thin film/dielectric heterostructure with the MPS molecule as an adhesion layer between the metal and the ferroelectric thin film. Specifically, we have looked at the interface between the Au layer and the Ba_0.5Sr_0.5TiO₃ (BSTO) ferroelectric thin film deposited on LaAlO₃ (LAO). Typically, during metallization via e-beam evaporation, it is common to deposit a chrome or titanium adhesion layer (∼ 15 nm thick) between the Au and BSTO films. However, this underlayer may diffuse through the Au causing an increase of the RF losses of the device. Replacing the metal buffer layer interface with a self-assembled structure, such as MPS, can avoid the effect of inter- diffusion of chrome in the Au vapor deposit film. The surface modification of Ba_0.5Sr_0.5TiO₃ (BSTO) thin film with MPS was studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy. The effectiveness of MPS self-assembled monolayers as an adhesion layer was determined by analyzing the performance of Au/MPS/BSTO/LAO interdigital capacitors as a function of dc voltage and temperature at 1 MHz.