Silicon nitride from microwave plasma: fabrication and characterization

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (8) ◽  
pp. 859-863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Tessier ◽  
J. E. Klemberg-Sapieha ◽  
S. Poulin-Dandurand ◽  
M. R. Wertheimer ◽  
S. Gujrathi
Keyword(s):  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Etch Rate ◽  
Microwave Plasma ◽  
Ternary Mixtures ◽  
Audio Frequency ◽  
Elastic Recoil ◽  
Deposition Rates ◽  
Elastic Recoil Detection ◽  
Fabrication And Characterization ◽  
Substrate Temperatures

Plasma silicon nitride (P-SiN) films were prepared from SiH4–NH3 mixtures and from ternary mixtures with Ar or N2 in a large-volume microwave plasma apparatus, at substrate temperatures Ts ranging from ambient to 250 °C. Under otherwise nominally identical fabrication conditions, deposition rates were 10 to 25 times greater than those reported by others for radio-or audio-frequency plasmas. Based on film compositions determined by elastic recoil detection, and measurements of such properties as density, refractive index, etch rate in dilute HF, and the moisture permeation coefficient, our best P-SiN films (produced at Ts ≥ 200 °C) were very similar to those reported in the literature.

Silicon Nitride from Microwave Plasma: Fabrication and Characterization

1986 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Tessier ◽  
J. E. Klemberg-Sapieha ◽  
S. Poulin-Dandurand ◽  
M. R. Wertheimer
Keyword(s):  
Refractive Index ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Etch Rate ◽  
Microwave Plasma ◽  
Audio Frequency ◽  
Elastic Recoil ◽  
Deposition Rates ◽  
Elastic Recoil Detection ◽  
Fabrication And Characterization ◽  
Substrate Temperatures

AbstractPlasma silicon nitride (P-SiN) films were prepared from SiH4/NH3 mixtures in a large volume microwave plasma (LMP) apparatus, at substrate temperatures T2 ranging from ambient to 250°C.Under otherwise nominally identical fabrication conditions, deposition rates were 10 to 25 times greater than those reported by others for radio- or audio-frequency plasmas.Based on film compositions, determined by elastic recoil detection (ERD), and measurements of such properties as density, refractive index, etch rate in dilute HF, and moisture permeation coefficient, our best P-SiN films (produced at T2 ≥ 200°C) are very similar to those reported in the literature.

Hydrogen Incorporation in Amorphous Silicon Prepared at High Deposition Rates by the VHF-GD Technique

1990 ◽  
Vol 192 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Finger ◽  
V. Viret ◽  
A. Shah ◽  
X.-M. Tang ◽  
J. Weber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elastic Recoil ◽  
Film Properties ◽  
Hydrogen Incorporation ◽  
Elastic Recoil Detection ◽  
Surface Mobility ◽  
Detection Analysis ◽  
Photothermal Deflection Spectroscopy ◽  
Usual Manner ◽  
Low Energy Ions ◽  
Substrate Temperatures

ABSTRACTThe influence of deposition temperature on hydrogen incorporation in a-Si:H prepared by VHF glow discharge at 70 MHz is investigated using hydrogen evolution, elastic recoil detection analysis and infrared spectroscopy.The films were further characterized by dark- and photoconductivity and by photothermal deflection spectroscopy. While the electronic film properties deteriorate in the usual manner with decreasing substrate temperature it is found that the total hydrogen content CH and the degree of microstructure that can be directly correlated to CH increase only moderately. It is concluded that a higher flux of low energy ions in the VHF plasma plays a key role in this context, possibly by increasing the surface mobility of the H atoms and thereby preventing the build-in of a large amount of hydrogen at low substrate temperatures.

Compositional characterization of microwave plasma a-Si: H films

1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 582-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Currie ◽  
P. Depelsenaire ◽  
J. P. Huot ◽  
L. Paquin ◽  
M. R. Wertheimer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substrate Temperature ◽  
Deposition Rate ◽  
Hydrogen Concentration ◽  
Film Growth ◽  
Microwave Plasma ◽  
Depth Resolution ◽  
Elastic Recoil ◽  
Elastic Recoil Detection ◽  
Amorphous Hydrogenated Silicon ◽  
Film Interface

The concentration of hydrogen in amorphous hydrogenated silicon films prepared by microwave glow discharge decomposition of silane has been measured as a function of several fabrication parameters: substrate temperature, deposition rate, and partial pressures of silane and of argon. Hydrogen concentration profiles have been obtained by two techniques: elastic recoil detection (ERD) with a 30 MeV 35Cl beam, and by the resonant nuclear reaction 15N + 1H → 12C + 4He + γ. Both offer very high depth resolution (in the order of 100 Å) and have revealed important inhomogencities in chemical composition, both at the free surface and the substrate – film interface. Using standard infrared absorption measurements between 1950 and 2150 cm−1, the intensities of the lines normally associated with SiH, SiH2, and SiH3 bonds were measured. As has been previously reported for reactively sputtered films for some fabrication conditions the sum of the three intensities is not consistent with the total hydrogen concentration obtained from the nuclear measurements. The average hydrogen concentration decreases with increasing substrate temperature, changes little with deposition rate, and increases as the silane to argon ratio is increased. These observations are related to the chemical reactions which take place in the plasma, and at the plasma–film interface during film growth.

High-rate (> 1nm/s) and low-temperature (< 400°C) deposition of silicon nitride using an N2/SiH4 and NH3/SiH4 expanding thermal plasma

2003 ◽  
Vol 762 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Hong ◽  
W.M.M. Kessels ◽  
M.C.M. van de Sanden
Keyword(s):  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Low Temperature ◽  
Thermal Plasma ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Elastic Recoil ◽  
Film Properties ◽  
Elastic Recoil Detection ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force

AbstractHigh-rate (> 1 nm/s) and low-temperature (50– 400°C) deposition of silicon nitride (a-SiNx:H) films has been investigated by the expanding thermal plasma (ETP) technique using SiH4 as Si-containing and N2 or NH3 as N-containing precursor gases. The structural, optical and electrical properties of the a-SiNx:H films have been studied by elastic recoil detection, spectroscopic ellipsometry, infrared spectroscopy, dark conductivity measurements and atomic force microscopy. The film properties of the ETP deposited a-SiNx:H films in this low-temperature range are discussed in terms of deposition rate, atomic composition, UV-VIS optical and IR vibrational properties, conductivity, and surface topography of the films.

Dependence of the MoSe2 Formation on the Mo Orientation and the Na Concentration for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin-Film Solar Cells

2005 ◽  
Vol 865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Abou-Ras ◽  
Debashis Mukherji ◽  
Gernot Kostorz ◽  
David Brémaud ◽  
Marc Kälin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Elastic Recoil ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Elastic Recoil Detection ◽  
Detection Analysis ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Substrate Temperatures

AbstractThe formation of MoSe2 has been studied on polycrystalline Mo layers and on Mo single crystals in dependence of the Mo orientation, the Na concentration, and also as a function of the Se source and the substrate temperatures. The Mo substrates were selenized by evaporation of Se. The samples were analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, elastic recoil detection analysis, and by conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the crystal structure and orientation of the MoSe2 layer change with increasing substrate temperature. However, the texture of MoSe2 does not depend on the orientation of the Mo substrate. It was also found that the MoSe2 growth is significantly influenced by the Na concentration at substrate temperatures of 450°C and 580°C.

Characterization of a Silicon Nitride Mask Membrane Process

1993 ◽  
Vol 306 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.M. Wells ◽  
M. Reilly ◽  
R. Nachman ◽  
F. Cerrina ◽  
M. A. El Khakani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Silicon Content ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Visible Region ◽  
Elastic Recoil ◽  
Absorption Bands ◽  
Elastic Recoil Detection ◽  
Silicon Nitride Membrane ◽  
Bow Technique ◽  
Different Temperatures

AbstractA silicon nitride membrane growth process has been characterized. The films were grown by LPCVD on 100 mm diameter silicon substrates using ammonia and dichlorosilane as reactant gases. The films were grown using a range of gas ratios at three different temperatures. The film composition was determined by elastic recoil detection. The silicon-nitrogen absorption bands were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. The photon transmission of the films was measured in the visible region from 350 – 850 nm, and in the x-ray region for photon energies from 1000 to 3000 eV. The film stresses were determined using the wafer bow technique. An increase in the silicon content of the films was observed for increased dichlorosilane gas flow and for increasing growth temperatures. The increased silicon content of the films is correlated to a decrease in the tensile stress and a decrease in the optical transmission of the films.

Hydrogen in a-Si:H Deposited by an Expanding Thermal Plasma: A Temperature, Growth Rate and Isotope Study

1998 ◽  
Vol 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.M.M. Kessels ◽  
M.C.M. Van De Sanden ◽  
R.J. Severens ◽  
L.J. Van Ijzendoorn ◽  
D.C. Schram
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Plasma ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Atomic Hydrogen ◽  
Elastic Recoil ◽  
Temperature Growth ◽  
Elastic Recoil Detection ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Hydrogen Interaction ◽  
Isotope Study ◽  
Substrate Temperatures

ABSTRACTThe hydrogen and silicon density of a-Si:H-films deposited by an expanding thermal plasma have been investigated for a wide range of substrate temperatures and growth rates by infrared absorption spectroscopy in combination with elastic recoil detection and Rutherford backscattering. The study reveals that, despite the increasing atomic hydrogen interaction and high substrate temperatures, the a-Si:H remains purely amorphous at low growth rates as concluded from Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, the infrared spectroscopy proportionality constants of the silicon-hydrogen and silicon-deuterium bondings have been recalibrated.

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