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.

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 Deposited at Very Low Silane Pressures Using Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasmas

1992 ◽  
Vol 284 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Flemish ◽  
R. Pfeffer ◽  
W. Buchwald ◽  
K. A. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Refractive Index ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Microwave Power ◽  
Material Properties ◽  
Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Total Pressure ◽  
Electron Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Deposition Rates ◽  
Hydrogen Incorporation

ABSTRACTWe report on the material properties of SiNx:H films deposited using a 2% SiH4/N2 mixture with additional N2 in an ECR reactor. Deposition rates, refractive index, and stoichiometry have been characterized using ellipsometry, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. Reactor conditions of 2m Torr total pressure, 650W microwave power, and substrate temperature of 250°C result in high quality, stoichiometric silicon nitride. With a SiH4/N2 ratio = 0.003, hydrogen incorporation is approximately 1.5% and the refractive index is nr =2.0. Lower microwave power and a higher SiH4/N2 ratio result in slightly N-rich films which is attributable to increased H-incorporation. Higher total pressure results in significantly enhanced deposition rates, but with greatly increased H and O content.

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.

Large Area Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Nonstoichiometric Silicon Nitride

1992 ◽  
Vol 282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Kuo
Keyword(s):  
Refractive Index ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Vapor Deposition ◽  
Etch Rate ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Film Deposition ◽  
Gas Composition ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Film Properties ◽  
Low Refractive Index

ABSTRACTThis paper presents results on PECVD of low refractive index silicon nitride in a large area system. Film deposition characteristics, suchas deposition rate and thickness uniformity, were investigated over awide range of process parameters, such as gas composition, power, pressure, and N2 pressure. Film properties, such as RI, absorbance, stress, and etch rate, have also been studied. A general model, which includes both the deposition and etching mechanisms, has been developed to explain these results. This model could explain the film uniformity issue in the process.

scholarly journals Examination of the Hydrogen Incorporation into Radio Frequency-Sputtered Hydrogenated SiNx Thin Films

Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Nikolett Hegedüs ◽  
Riku Lovics ◽  
Miklós Serényi ◽  
Zsolt Zolnai ◽  
Péter Petrik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Refractive Index ◽  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Radio Frequency ◽  
Molecular Form ◽  
Film Surface ◽  
Hydrogen Gas ◽  
Elastic Recoil ◽  
Hydrogen Incorporation ◽  
Hydrogen Molecules

In this work, amorphous hydrogen-free silicon nitride (a-SiNx) and amorphous hydrogenated silicon nitride (a-SiNx:H) films were deposited by radio frequency (RF) sputtering applying various amounts of hydrogen gas. Structural and optical properties were investigated as a function of hydrogen concentration. The refractive index of 1.96 was characteristic for hydrogen-free SiNx thin film and with increasing H2 flow it decreased to 1.89. The hydrogenation during the sputtering process affected the porosity of the thin film compared with hydrogen-free SiNx. A higher porosity is consistent with a lower refractive index. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of 4 at.% of bounded hydrogen, while elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) confirmed that 6 at.% hydrogen was incorporated during the growing mechanism. The molecular form of hydrogen was released at a temperature of ~65 °C from the film after annealing, while the blisters with 100 nm diameter were created on the thin film surface. The low activation energy deduced from the Arrhenius method indicated the diffusion of hydrogen molecules.

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.

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