Characterization of Plasma Silicon Nitride Layers

Abstract

The authors have studied deposition of plasma silicon nitride layers as a function of gas-phase composition for the SiH4-NH3-x system, where x is N~, Ar, or H2. Most of the depositions were performed at 300~ and at an operating frequency of 50 kHz. The deposited layers were characterized with Anger electron spectroscopy in combination with ion-bombardment, Rutherford backscattering, and infrared spectroscopy. It is shown that the ratio of the amount of atomic hydrogen atoms bonded to silicon and nitrogen atoms is only a function of the silicon-nitrogen ratio of the deposited layers. It is further shown that the etch rate of plasma silicon nitride layers in buffered HF depends primarily on the silicon-nitrogen ratio and the density of the deposited material.

The effects of annealing temperature on the photoluminescence from silicon nitride multilayer structures

“…A multilayer period was composed of a nominally stoichiometric silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), layer followed by a silicon-rich nitride (SRN) layer. The excess silicon content in the SRN layers was achieved using a SiH 4 /NH 3 ratio of 1.6 resulting in a refractive index, at 632 nm of $3:2, which is consistent with values observed for silicon-rich films [19]. The diffusion barrier layers were deposited using a SiH 4 /NH 3 ratio of 0.6 resulting in a refractive index of $1:8, suggesting slightly nitrogen-rich films [19], but will be referred to as nominally stoichiometric for the purposes of this study.…”

Formation of a nanocomposite from plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition multilayer structures

“…A multilayer period was composed of a nominally stoichiometric silicon nitride, Si 3 N 4 , layer followed by an SRN layer. The excess silicon content in the SRN layers was achieved using a SiH 4 =NH 3 ratio of 1.6 resulting in a refractive index, at 632 nm, of $3:2, which is consistent with values observed for silicon-rich films [19]. The diffusion barrier layers were deposited using a SiH 4 =NH 3 ratio of 0.6 resulting in a refractive index of $1:8, suggesting slightly nitrogen-rich films [19], but will be referred to as nominally stoichiometric for the purposes of this study.…”

Deposition of silicon nitride film at room temperature using a SiH4-NH3-N2 plasma

“…13) This is further supported by the strong relationship between the N/Si and [NH]/[SiH]. 14) From these facts, the increasing refractive index in Fig.…”