Quantitative Auger depth profiling of LPCVD and PECVD silicon nitride films

Keim, Enrico G.; Aite, K.

doi:10.1007/bf00572315

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 10 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…At low gas flow the leakage current density is in the order of magnitude from the equipment resolution and increases then exponentially with the reactant gas flow. For a total gas flow larger than 133 sccm, increasing the gas ratio increases also the leakage current density, probably by increasing the silicon fraction of the PECVD nitride as the silane proportion in the feed gas increases [8]. The breakdown voltage is maximal for a gas flow of 133 sccm and insensitive to the gas ratio for gas flow ranging from 100 sccm to 133 sccm.…”

Section: Electrical Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

MIMC reliability and electrical behavior defined by a physical layer property of the dielectric

Ackaert

Charavel

Dhondt

et al. 2008

Microelectronics Reliability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Electrical Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

MIMC reliability and electrical behavior defined by a physical layer property of the dielectric

Ackaert

Charavel

Dhondt

et al. 2008

Microelectronics Reliability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Table II summarizes It has been argued that the high energy Si KLL Auger peak is a better probe than the stronger and easily obtainable Si LVV Auger peak, since the line shape of Si KLL Auger peak is less influenced by the surface chemistry. 23 Traditionally, many authors have used the Auger p-p ratio of Si LVV /N KLL as an indicator of SiN composition. [23][24][25][26] The detailed quantitative Auger depth profiling study of LPCVD and PECVD SiN films concluded that the p-p heights of the Si KLL and N KLL Auger transition in d N (E)/d E of the energy distribution is a reasonable indicator to determine SiN composition in Auger depth profiles over a wide range of atomic Si/N ratio.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…23 Traditionally, many authors have used the Auger p-p ratio of Si LVV /N KLL as an indicator of SiN composition. [23][24][25][26] The detailed quantitative Auger depth profiling study of LPCVD and PECVD SiN films concluded that the p-p heights of the Si KLL and N KLL Auger transition in d N (E)/d E of the energy distribution is a reasonable indicator to determine SiN composition in Auger depth profiles over a wide range of atomic Si/N ratio. 23 It is generally agreed that the AES generally has excellent spatial resolution (15 nm), reasonable detection limit (<0.5 at%), good quantification with standards, and excellent speed.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Room Temperature Photoluminescence and Raman Characterization of Interface Characteristics of SiN/SiO₂/Si Prepared under Various Deposition Techniques and Conditions

Yoo¹,

Kim

Jin

et al. 2015

ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Room temperature photoluminescence (RTPL) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were examined as in-line monitoring techniques for characterizing the interface characteristics of ultra-thin (∼7.2 nm) stacked dielectric films (SiN/SiO 2 ) on 300 mm Si wafers. To investigate the effect of the stacked dielectric films on electronic properties and lattice stress of Si beneath the films, RTPL and Raman signals were measured under various excitation wavelengths with different probing depths. Changes of interface characteristics (mainly, electronic properties and lattice stress of Si beneath the films) of the stacked dielectric films and the Si wafer were investigated using various specimens prepared by different deposition techniques and conditions. The overall interface characteristics of the SiN/SiO 2 /Si specimens was found to be very dependent on the SiN deposition technique and process conditions. As the stoichiometry of SiN films change from N-rich to Si-rich conditions, the RTPL signal becomes weaker, indicating the change of electronic properties at the SiN/SiO 2 /Si interface. Within-wafer and wafer-to-wafer variations of the SiN/SiO 2 /Si interface characteristics were successfully characterized by RTPL and Raman spectroscopy under various excitation wavelengths.Other characterization results such as film thickness from ellipsometry, film stress from wafer curvature and film composition from Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) were also discussed. Advanced metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) and metalinsulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices employ ultra-thin dielectric film(s) as gate dielectrics. The physical dimensions are typically on the order of several nanometers. Pure SiO 2 or combinations of SiN and SiO 2 films are typically used. Both physical thickness and effective oxide thickness (EOT) are less than 10 nm.1-2 High dielectric constant materials (high-k dielectrics) and metal gates are also frequently used. Low dielectric constant materials (low-k dielectrics) are used as inter-metal dielectrics (IMD) and inter-layer dielectrics (ILD) with Cu interconnects to reduce RC constants (i.e, RC delay) and improve device operation speed.3 As devices scale to smaller size, the complexity of device structures as well as the number of interfaces in dielectric films increases. Proper understanding, monitoring and control of the dielectric/Si interface become very important.Physical dimensions of ultra-thin dielectric film(s) on Si wafers are typically measured using ellipsometry and occasionally verified by high resolution cross-section transmission electron microscopy (HRXTEM). Conventional interface characterization techniques include chemical characterization and electrical characterization. Chemical properties are typically evaluated using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).4-6 Films stress is often monitored in blanket Si wafers by measuring the curvature, and its direction, before and after film deposition and treatment.7-10 The stoic...

show abstract

“…The film composition was determined from the ratio of the peak-to-peak heights in the dN(E)/dE mode for two combinations of transitions, viz., the Si-LVV and N-KLL transitions, and the Si-KLL and N-KLL transitions. According to Keim and Aite, 15 the former of the two ratios is a better probe of the chemical composition.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

LPCVD silicon-rich silicon nitride films for applications in micromechanics, studied with statistical experimental design*

Gardeniers

Tilmans

Visser

1996

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

142

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A systematic investigation of the influence of the process parameters temperature, pressure, total gas flow, and SiH 2 Cl 2 :NH 3 gas flow ratio on the residual stress, the refractive index, and its nonuniformity across a wafer, the growth rate, the film thickness nonuniformity across a wafer, and the Si/N incorporation ratio of low pressure chemical vapor deposition Si x N y films has been performed. As a tool for complete characterization of the property-deposition parameter relations, a full factorial experimental design was used to determine the dominant process parameters and their interactions. From this study it could be concluded that, in decreasing order of importance, the gas flow ratio of Si and N containing precursors, temperature, and pressure are the most relevant parameters determining the mechanical and optical properties of the films and the deposition rate and nonuniformity in film properties across a wafer. The established relations between properties and deposition parameters were fitted with physical-chemical models, including a film growth model based on a Freundlich adsorption isotherm. The optimal deposition conditions for films to be used in micromechanical devices will be discussed.

show abstract

Quantitative Auger depth profiling of LPCVD and PECVD silicon nitride films

Cited by 5 publications

References 10 publications

MIMC reliability and electrical behavior defined by a physical layer property of the dielectric

MIMC reliability and electrical behavior defined by a physical layer property of the dielectric

Room Temperature Photoluminescence and Raman Characterization of Interface Characteristics of SiN/SiO₂/Si Prepared under Various Deposition Techniques and Conditions

LPCVD silicon-rich silicon nitride films for applications in micromechanics, studied with statistical experimental design*

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Quantitative Auger depth profiling of LPCVD and PECVD silicon nitride films

Cited by 5 publications

References 10 publications

MIMC reliability and electrical behavior defined by a physical layer property of the dielectric

MIMC reliability and electrical behavior defined by a physical layer property of the dielectric

Room Temperature Photoluminescence and Raman Characterization of Interface Characteristics of SiN/SiO2/Si Prepared under Various Deposition Techniques and Conditions

LPCVD silicon-rich silicon nitride films for applications in micromechanics, studied with statistical experimental design*

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Room Temperature Photoluminescence and Raman Characterization of Interface Characteristics of SiN/SiO₂/Si Prepared under Various Deposition Techniques and Conditions