Dielectric material

1. A dielectric material, comprising:

a metal containing cation including one or more oxides, sub-oxides and sub-oxy-hydroxides; and

a polyatomic anion including one or more of sulfate (SO 4 2− ), borate (BO 3 3− ), and phosphate (PO 4 3− );

wherein said dielectric material is amorphous;

and wherein said dielectric material comprises a film in an electronic component, said electronic component including one or more of a field effect transistor and a capacitor.

2. A dielectric material according to claim 1 wherein said polyatomic anion includes one or more of tungstate (WO 4 2− ) and silicate (SiO 4 4− ).

3. A dielectric material according to claim 1 , wherein said dielectric material comprises a thin film on a plastic substrate.

4. A dielectric material according to claim 1 wherein said metal containing cation includes one or more of hafnium (Hf 4+ ), titanium (Ti 4+ ), zirconium (Zr 4+ ), cerium (Ce 4+ ), tin (Sn 4+ ), tantalum (Ta 5+ ), niobium (Nb 5+ ), yttrium (Y 3+ ), molybdenum (Mo 4+ ), tungsten (W 6+ ), aluminum (Al 3+ ), gallium (Ga 3+ ), zinc (Zn 2+ ), chromium (Cr 3+ ), iron (Fe 3+ ), bismuth (Bi 3+ ), lanthanides, hafnium suboxide (HfO 2+ ), zirconium suboxide (ZrO 2+ ), titanium suboxide (TiO 2+ ), tantalum suboxide (TaO 3+ ), yttrium suboxide (YO + ), niobium suboxide (NbO 3+ ), molybdenum suboxide (MoO 4+ ), tungsten suboxide (WO 4+ ), aluminum suboxide (AlO + ), gallium suboxide (GaO + ), suboxides of the lanthanide series, hafnium oxy-hydroxide (HfO y (OH) z (4−2y−z)+ ), zirconium oxy-hydroxide (ZrO y (OH) z (4−2y−z)+ ), titanium oxy-hydroxide (TiO y (OH) z (4−2y−z)+ ), tantalum oxy-hydroxide (TaO y (OH) z (5−2y−z)+ ), yttrium oxy-hydroxide (YO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ), niobium oxy-hydroxide (NbO y (OH) z (4−2y−z)+ ), molybdenum oxy-hydroxide (MoO y (OH) z (4−2y−z)+ ), tungsten oxy-hydroxide (WO y (OH) z (6−2y−z)+ ), aluminum oxy-hydroxide (AlO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ), gallium oxy-hydroxide (GaO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ), zinc oxy-hydroxide (ZnO y (OH) z (2−2y−z)+ ), chromium oxy-hydroxide (CrO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ), iron oxy-hydroxide (FeO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ), bismuth oxy-hydroxide (BiO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ), and oxy-hydroxides of the lanthanide series.

5. A dielectric material according to claim 1 wherein said dielectric material comprises HfO 2−x−z/2 (OH) z (SO 4 ) x , and wherein x ranges from 0.1 to 1.9.

6. A dielectric material according to claim 1 , further comprising a dopant cation including one or more of titanium (Ti 4+ ), zirconium (Zr 4+ ), cerium (Ce 4+ ), tin (Sn 4+ ), tantalum (Ta 5+ ), niobium (Nb 5+ ), hafnium (Hf 4+ ), yttrium (Y 3+ ), molybdenum (Mo 4+ ), tungsten (W 6+ ), aluminum (Al 3+ ), gallium (Ga 3+ ), zinc (Zn 2+ ), chromium (Cr 3+ ), iron (Fe 3+ ), bismuth (Bi 3+ ), and lanthanides.

7. A dielectric material according to claim 1 wherein said dielectric material is amorphous up to a temperature of 740° C.

8. A dielectric material according to claim 1 wherein said dielectric material is amorphous up to a temperature of 1200° C.

9. A dielectric material according to claim 1 wherein said dielectric material is manufactured from a precursor, and wherein said precursor comprises a solution.

10. A dielectric material according to claim 9 wherein said solution comprises a clear solution having an absence of complexing organic materials.

11. A dielectric material according to claim 1 wherein said dielectric material has a breakdown electric field strength of at least 2.0 MV/cm.

12. A dielectric material according to claim 1 wherein said dielectric material has a dielectric constant of at least 10.

13. A dielectric material according to claim 1 wherein said dielectric material comprises HfO 2−x−z/2 (OH) z (SO 4 ) x , and wherein z ranges from 0.0 to 2.0.

14. A process of forming a dielectric film, comprising:

providing a metal containing cation that includes one or more of hafnium suboxide (HfO 2+ ), zirconium suboxide (ZrO 2+ ), titanium suboxide (TiO 2+ ), tantalum suboxide (TaO 3+ ), yttrium suboxide (YO + ), niobium suboxide (NbO 3+ ), molybdenum suboxide (MoO 4+ ), tungsten suboxide (WO 4+ ), aluminum suboxide (AlO + ), gallium suboxide (GaO + ), and suboxides of the lanthanide series;

providng a polyatomic anion including one or more of sulfate (SO 4 2− ), borate (BO 3 3− ), and phosphate (PO 4 3− );

reacting said polyatomic anion and said metal containing cation to form a precursor solution; and

printing said precursor solution on a substrate through an inkjet printhead to form an amorphous dielectric film.

15. A process according to claim 14 wherein said reacting takes place at atmospheric pressure.

16. A process according to claim 14 wherein said reacting takes place at a temperature less than 100° C.

17. A process according to claim 14 wherein said printing comprises printing a predetermined pattern on said substrate with said precursor solution through an inkjet printhead and in the absence of a mask.

18. A process according to claim 14 wherein said printing on said substrate provides an amorphous thin film having an absence of organics, and wherein said amorphous thin film is adapted for deposition of a subsequent film thereon in the absence of an annealing step.

19. A process according to claim 14 wherein said providing a metal containing cation comprises providing an aqueous solution containing a metal containing cation including one or more of hafnium (Hf 4+ ), titanium (Ti 4+ ), zirconium (Zr 4+ ), cerium (Ce 4+ ), tin (Sn 4+ ), tantalum (Ta 5+ ), niobium (Nb 5+ ), yttrium (Y 3+ ), molybdenum (Mo 4+ ), tungsten (W 6+ ), aluminum (Al 3+ ), gallium (Ga 3+ ), zinc (Zn 2+ ), chromium (Cr 3+ ), iron (Fe 3+ ), bismuth (Bi 3+ ), lanthanides, hafnium suboxide (HfO 2+ ), zirconium suboxide (ZrO 2+ ),titanium suboxide (TiO 2+ ),tantalum suboxide (TaO 3+ ), yttrium suboxide (YO + ), niobium suboxide (NbO 3+ ), molybdenum suboxide (MoO 4+ ), tungsten suboxide (WO 4+ ), aluminum suboxide (AlO + ), gallium suboxide (GaO + ), suboxides of the lanthanide series, hafnium oxy-hydroxide (HfO y (OH) z (4−2y−z)+ ), zirconium oxy-hydroxide (ZrO y (OH) z (4−2y−z)+ ), titanium oxy-hydroxide (TiO y (OH) z (4−2y−z)+ ), tantalum oxy-hydroxide (TaO y (OH) z (5−2y−z)+ ), yttrium oxy-hydroxide (YO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ),niobium oxy-hydroxide (NbO y (OH) z (4−2y−z)+ ), molybdenum oxy-hydroxide (MoO y (OH) z (4−2y−z)+ ), tungsten oxy-hydroxide (WO y (OH) z (6−2y−z)+ ), aluminum oxy-hydroxide (AlO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ),gallium oxy-hydroxide (GaO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ), zinc oxy-hydroxide (ZnO y (OH) z (2−2y−z)+ ), chromium oxy-hydroxide (CrO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ), iron oxy-hydroxide (FeO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ), bismuth oxy-hydroxide (BiO y (OH) z (3−2y−z)+ ), and oxy-hydroxides of the lanthanide series, and wherein said providing a polyatomic anion comprises providing an aqueous solution containing a polyatomic anion including one or more of sulfate (SO 4 2− ), borate (BO 3 3− ), phosphate (PO 4 3− ), tungstate (WO 4 2− ), and silicate (SiO 4 4− ).

20. A process of depositing a dielectric film, comprising:

providing a metal containing cation that includes one or more of hafnium suboxide (HfO 2+ ), zirconium suboxide (ZrO 2+ ),titanium suboxide (TiO 2+ ),tantalum suboxide (TaO 3+ ), yttrium suboxide (YO + ), niobium suboxide (NbO 3+ ), molybdenum suboxide (MoO 4+ ), tungsten suboxide (WO 4+ ), aluminum suboxide (AlO + ), gallium suboxide (GaO + ), and suboxides of the lanthanide series;

providing a polyatomic anion including one or more of sulfate (SO 4 2− ), borate (BO 3 3− ), and phosphate (PO 4 3− );

reacting said polyatomic anion with said metal containing cation to form a precursor solution; and

applying said precursor solution on a substrate by an application chosen from the group including spin-coating, dip-coating, spray-coating, and inkjet printing to form a non-crystalline dielectric film.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein said reacting takes place at a temperature of at most 100° C.

22. A method according to claim 20 wherein said reacting takes place at a temperature in a range of 60° C. to 350° C.

23. A method according to claim 20 wherein said reacting takes place at atmospheric pressure in ambient air.

24. A method according to claim 20 wherein the method further comprises adding a cation dopant to said precursor solution, wherein said cation dopant includes one or more of titanium (Ti 4+ ), zirconium (Zr 4+ ), cerium (Ce 4+ ), tin (Sn 4+ ), tantalum (Ta 5+ ) and niobium (Nb 5+ ), and wherein said cation dopant is added in a range of 1 cation atomic percent to 50 cation atomic percent of said precursor solution.

25. A method of depositing a dielectric film, comprising:

reacting a polyatomic anion with a metal containing cation to form a liquid solution; and

printing said liquid solution on a substrate through a nozzle to form an amorphous dielectric film;

wherein said metal containing cation includes one or more of hafnium suboxide (HfO 2+ ), zirconium suboxide (ZrO 2+ ),titanium suboxide (TiO 2+ ),tantalum suboxide (TaO 3+ ), yttrium suboxide (YO + ), niobium suboxide (NbO 3+ ), molybdenum suboxide (MoO 4+ ), tungsten suboxide (WO 4+ ), aluminum suboxide (AlO + ), gallium suboxide (GaO + ), and suboxides of the lanthanide series and wherein said polyatomic anion includes one or more of sulfate (SO 4 2− ), borate (BO 3 3− ), and phosphate (PO 4 3− ).

26. An electronic device including a dielectric film, wherein said dielectric film is manufactured from components comprising:

a metal containing cation that includes one or more of hafnium suboxide (HfO 2+ ), zirconium suboxide (ZrO 2+ ),titanium suboxide (TiO 2+ ),tantalum suboxide (TaO 3+ ), yttrium suboxide (YO + ), niobium suboxide (NbO 3+ ), molybdenum suboxide (MoO 4+ ), tungsten suboxide (WO 4+ ), aluminum suboxide (AlO + ), gallium suboxide (GaO + ), and suboxides of the lanthanide series; and

a polyatomic anion including one or more of sulfate (SO 4 2− ), borate (BO 3 3− ), and phosphate (PO 4 3− );

wherein said dielectric film is non-crystalline.

27. A device according to claim 26 wherein said device includes one or more of a field effect transistor and a capacitor.

28. A device according to claim 26 wherein said dielectric film has a breakdown electric field strength of greater than 2.0 MV/cm.

29. A device according to claim 26 wherein said dielectric film has substantially no mass loss in a temperature range of approximately 200 to 740° C.

30. A device according to claim 26 wherein said dielectric film is substantially impervious to acidic solutions.

31. A device according to claim 26 wherein said dielectric film is substantially impervious to basic solutions.

32. A device according to claim 26 wherein said dielectric film has a dielectric constant of at least 5.

33. A device according to claim 26 wherein said dielectric film has a current density of up to 1.0 microamp/cm 2 for an applied field of up to 2.2 MV/cm.

34. A device according to claim 26 wherein said dielectric film has a breakdown electric field strength of at least 3.5 MV/cm.

35. A device according to claim 26 wherein said dielectric film has a dielectric constant of at least 13.

36. A device according to claim 26 wherein said dielectric film has a breakdown electric field strength of at least 4.0 MV/cm.