Application of the time domain current response method to the examination of dysprosium oxide capacitors

The authors report the results of time-domain current response measurements of Al/Dy₂O₃/Al sandwiches and of the evaluation of their complex capacitance in the frequency domain. The observed dielectric response comes either from the volume of dysprosium oxide thin film or from the interfacial layers at both metal/insulator boundaries. In general, the volume of Dy₂O₃ film is responsible for the dielectric response at high frequencies and lower temperatures, whereas Al/Dy₂O₃ boundaries have an effect at low frequencies and high temperatures. The C"(f ) peaks appear as the consequence of the interaction of volume and interfacial processes. Multihour annealing of samples at 523 K reduces the electrical conductivity, shifts the C" peaks toward low frequencies without changing their activation energy, and slightly modifies the shape of the dispersion curves, lowering the values of their slopes