In this study, high-pressure oxygen (O-2 and O-2 + UV light) technologies were employed to effectively improve the properties of low-temperature-deposited metal oxide dielectric films and interfacial layer. In this work, 13 nm HfO2 thin films were deposited by sputtering method at room temperature. Then, the oxygen treatments with a high-pressure of 1500 psi at 150 degrees C were performed to replace the conventional high temperature annealing. According to the XPS analyses, integration area of the absorption peaks of O-Hf and O-Hf-Si bonding energies apparently raise and the quantity of oxygen in deposited thin films also increases from XPS measurement. In addition, the leakage current density of standard HfO2 film after O-2 and O-2 + UV light treatments can be improved from 3.12 x 10(-6) A/cm(2) to 6.27 x 10(-7) and 1.3 x 10-8 A/cm(2) at |Vg| = 3 V. The proposed low-temperature and high pressure O-2 or O-2 + UV light treatment for improving high-k dielectric films is applicable for the future flexible electronics. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.