Behavior of charges locally injected into nanothin high-k SmScO$_3$ dielectric

The behavior of charges locally injected from the probe of an atomic force microscope into nanothin films of high-k SmScO$_3$ dielectric deposited on a silicon substrate is studied by the method of Kelvin probe force microscopy. Prior to examination, the films were annealed at different temperatures. At temperatures above 900$^\circ$C, the amorphous as-prepared films exhibit polycrystalline inclusions. In the films annealed at 900$^\circ$C, the injected charge persists for a long time that several tens of times exceeds the charge retention time observed when conventional dielectrics, such as SiO$_2$ and Si$_3$N$_4$, are used. In addition, the diffusion of carriers in the plane of the dielectric layers sharply slows down.