Nitrogen plasma instabilities and the growth of silicon nitride by electron cyclotron resonance microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition

Pool, F. S.

doi:10.1063/1.363943

Cited by 26 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Recently, major interest has been placed on the development of novel PECVD techniques for the deposition of high-density SiNx films at low temperature with reduced surface damages and controlled residual stress. As a result, the most effective methods to produce high-quality dielectric films at low temperatures (≤ 100°C) are the high-density plasma techniques such as electron cyclotron resonance plasma (ECR-CVD) [53][54][55][56] and inductively coupled plasma CVD (ICP-CVD) [57][58][59][60][61][62].…”

Section: Inorganic Dielectric Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Final capping passivation layers for long-life microsensors in real fluids

Vanhove¹,

Tsopela²,

Bouscayrol³

et al. 2013

Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical

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Final capping insulation layer is a critical step in the microfabrication process that determines the lifetime of analytical microsensors in real fluids. Actual processes encounter considerable limitations as (i) organic passivation layers do not provide a satisfying long-term protection against liquids and (ii) inorganic passivation processes (dielectric materials deposition and patterning) are very aggressive for the underlying layers, imposing severe constraints on the integration of sensitive materials. We present here a low temperature deposition process of high quality silicon nitride Si3N4 using ICP-CVD technique combined with a lift-off based process to pattern conformal deposition, in order to avoid harsh treatments such as wet or dry etching.High-density SiNx films with low H content (5 x 10 20 at/cm 3 ) were synthesized at 100°C with controlled uniformity (5%), refractive index (2.025 at 830 nm), etch rate in buffered hydrofluoric acid (8 nm/min), residual stress (-500 MPa), breakdown field (3.9 MV/cm) and dielectric constant (6.0). In order to validate the compatibility of this passivation process with long-term fluids analysis, microelectrodes were fabricated and their lifetime in natural seawater was evaluated. Their active surfaces were defined by patterning the insulation layer. Special care was given to their accurate estimation through the modelling of chronoamperometric curves.Reproducible and stable electrochemical response was obtained for months (> 50 days), demonstrating a considerably extended lifetime in harsh liquid media.

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Section: Inorganic Dielectric Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Final capping passivation layers for long-life microsensors in real fluids

Vanhove¹,

Tsopela²,

Bouscayrol³

et al. 2013

Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical

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“…This tendency of R.I. and R dep of SiN x from ICP-CVD is similar to the results that are obtained by a PECVD with electron cyclotron resonance (ECR)-source. [15,16,17] This PECVD with ECRsource is also denoted as ECR chemical vapour deposition (ECR-CVD). Except the coupling of RF-power to the plasma, both PECVD-technologies ICP-CVD and ECR-CVD use the S. Jatta, K. Haberle, A. Klein, R. Schafranek, B. Koegel, P. Meissner same precursors for SiN x (SiH 4 þ N 2 ) and deposit at low temperatures.…”

Section: Influence Of the Deposition Pressurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Beside the low density another reason can be an increase in the hydrogen content by increasing the pressure. [15,16] A higher hydrogen content or a variation in the silicon and nitrogen content causes a decrease in the density and therefore an increase of the etching rate of SiN x -films. It is not investigated which of the components within the deposited SiN x have the highest influence on the etching rate or if the density is the reason.…”

Section: Influence Of the Deposition Pressurementioning

confidence: 99%

Depositon of Dielectric Films with Inductively Coupled Plasma‐CVD in Dependence on Pressure and Two RF‐Power‐Sources

Jatta

Haberle

Klein

et al. 2009

Plasma Processes & Polymers

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This paper presents the investigations of thin dielectric silicon oxide (SiOx) and silicon nitride (SiNx) films deposited below 100 °C by a plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP)‐source. The influence of the deposition pressure and the applied RF‐power to the plasma from the ICP‐source and a second RF‐power at substrate electrode on the characteristics of the deposited films are studied. The investigated characteristics are refractive index R.I. at 632 nm, deposition rate Rdep, stress σ and etching rate Retch in buffered hydrofluoric acid (BHF). Measurements from electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) support the investigations. The results are discussed and compared with other PECVD deposition methods. A significant influence of the RF‐generator connected to substrate electrode on etching rate and hence on film quality is identified for SiOx but the converse effect is identified for SiNx‐films.

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“…Pool 8 observed transitional instabilities in a nitrogen plasma going from underdense to overdense plasma modes in the pressure range of 0.9 to 1.6 mTorr. The coexistence between the drift and flute wave instabilities in a linear ECR plasma has been studied with an axially imposed boundary.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluctuations in electron cyclotron resonance plasma in a divergent magnetic field

2016

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The dependence of fluctuations on electron-neutral collision frequency (νen) and the radial location is investigated in an electron cyclotron resonance plasma in a divergent magnetic field region for a set of magnetic fields. Results indicate that the fluctuations depend strongly on the collision frequency. At lower magnetic fields and νen, the fluctuation levels are small and are observed to peak around 3–5 cm from the central plasma region. Coherent wave modes are found to contribute up to about 30% of the total fluctuation power, and two to three harmonics are present in the power spectra. There are two principal modes present in the discharge: one appears to be a dissipative mode associated with a collisional drift wave instability initiated at a lower pressure (collision frequencies) (∼0.5 mTorr) and is stabilized at a higher pressure (≳3 mTorr). The other mode appears at intermediate pressure (≳1.75 mTorr) and possesses the signature of a flute instability. The fluctuation levels indicate that flute modes are predominant in the discharge at higher pressures ( >1.75 mTorr) and at higher values of the magnetic field (∼540 Gauss).

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Nitrogen plasma instabilities and the growth of silicon nitride by electron cyclotron resonance microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition

Cited by 26 publications

References 25 publications

Final capping passivation layers for long-life microsensors in real fluids

Final capping passivation layers for long-life microsensors in real fluids

Depositon of Dielectric Films with Inductively Coupled Plasma‐CVD in Dependence on Pressure and Two RF‐Power‐Sources

Fluctuations in electron cyclotron resonance plasma in a divergent magnetic field

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