We have investigated the effects of annealing temperature on the physical and electrical properties of the WO, film deposited by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method for high-k gate oxides in thin-film-transistors (TFTs). The ALD deposition of HfO2 directly on the Si substrate at 300 degrees C results in the formation of thin Hf SixOy interfacial layer between Si and Hf O-2. The subsequent low temperature N-2-annealing of HfO2 films (i.e., 300 degrees C) using a rapid thermal processor (RTP) improves the overall electrical characteristics of HfSixOy-HfO2 films. Based on the current work, we suggest that HfO2 film deposited by the ALD method is suitable for high-k gate oxides in TFTs, which have to be fabricated at low temperature. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.