As a potential gate dielectric material, the La2O3 doped SiO2 (LSO, the mole ratio is about 1:5) films were labricated on n-Si (0 0 1) substrates by using pulsed laser deposition technique. By virtue of several measurements, the microstructure and electrical properties of the LSO films were characterized. The LSO films keep the amorphous state up to a high annealing temperature of 800 degrees C. From HRTEM and XPS results, these La atoms of the LSO films do not react with silicon substrate to form any La-compound at interfacial layer. However, these 0 atoms of the LSO films diffuse from the film toward the silicon substrate so as to form a SiO2 interfacial layer. The thickness of SiO, layer is only about two atomic layers. A possible explanation for interfacial reaction has been proposed. The scanning electron microscope image shows the surface of the amorphous LSO film very flat. The LSO film shows a dielectric constant of 12.8 at 1 MHz. For the LSO film with thickness of 3 run, a small equivalent oxide thickness of 1.2 nm is obtained. The leakage current density of the LSO film is 1.54 x 10(-4) A/cm(2) at a gate bias voltage of I V. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.