Zirconium disulfide film improved by hydrogen-sulfide annealing at BEOL-compatible temperature with less surface residual sulfur

Abstract Zirconium disulfide (ZrS 2 ) is one of the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) that is expected to have high mobility. The quality of H 2 S-annealed ZrS 2 films is evaluated through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. This study reveals that H 2 S annealing on ZrS 2 enhances the crystallinity of ZrS 2 , even at back-end-of-line compatible temperatures, and reduces unintended chemical bonds, such as surface residual sulfur formed during sulfur vapor annealing using a sulfur powder reactant. In conclusion, post-deposition H 2 S annealing effectively improves the quality of ZrS 2 films, thereby broadening their range of applications.