Lanthanum hafnium oxide (LHO) thin films were grown using an electron cyclotron resonance atomic layer deposition technique. Tetrakis(ethylmethylamino)hafnium (TEMAHf) and tris(ethylcyclopentadienyl) lanthanum (III) [La(EtCp)(3)] were utilized as the hafnium and lanthanum precursors, respectively. O-2 plasma was used as a reactant gas. Transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed that the as-deposited LHO film had a crystalline structure at a deposition temperature of 400 degrees C. Rapid thermal annealing of the LHO films induced dramatic changes in the electrical properties. The V-FB for the films shifted toward the ideal V-FB and the amount of positive fixed charge disappeared in the LHO films. The leakage current density of the film deposited at 400 degrees C was estimated to be 4.6x10(-7) A/cm(2) at -1 V. The leakage characteristic of the LHO films was improved with annealing at temperatures above 900 degrees C. (C) 2008 American Vacuum Society.