Ultrathin Silicon Oxide and Nitride – Silicon Interface States

ABSTRACTLocal electronic states at nanometer-thick silicon oxide and nitride films on Si can be studied on an unprecedented scale using low - energy cathodoluminescence spectroscopy to observe optical transitions of defect bonding arrangements at ultrathin film interfaces prepared by low -temperature plasma deposition. Our results illustrate significant differences in the dependence of specific defects at the oxide versus nitride interfaces on thermal annealing and hydrogenation.