Reduction of hydrogen-induced optical losses of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition silicon oxynitride by phosphorus doping and heat treatment

Journal Article · Mon Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2007 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2423219· OSTI ID:20982635

Hussein, M G; Woerhoff, K; Sengo, G; Driessen, A ^[1]

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1. Integrated Optical Micro Systems, MESA Research Institute, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands)

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition phosphorus-doped silicon oxynitride (SiON) layers with a refractive index of 1.505 were deposited from N{sub 2}O, 2% SiH{sub 4}/N{sub 2}, NH{sub 3}, and 5% PH{sub 3}/Ar gaseous mixtures. The PH{sub 3}/Ar flow rate was varied to investigate the effect of the dopant to the layer properties. We studied the compositions and the chemical environment of phosphorus, silicon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen in these layers by using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The number of N-H and O-H bonds, which are responsible for optical losses around 1.55 and 1.3 {mu}m, decreases in the as-deposited layers with increasing phosphorus concentration. Furthermore, the bonded hydrogen in all P-doped layers has been eliminated after annealing at a temperature significantly lower than required for undoped silicon oxynitride layers, that is to say 1000 degree sign C instead of 1150 degree sign C. The resulting optical loss in the entire third telecommunication window was well below 0.2 dB/cm, making P-doped SiON an attractive material for demanding integrated optics applications.

• OSTI ID: 20982635
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 101, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2423219; (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AMMONIA
ANNEALING
ARGON
CHEMICAL BONDS
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
DOPED MATERIALS
FLOW RATE
FOURIER TRANSFORM SPECTROMETERS
HYDROGEN
INFRARED SPECTRA
NITROGEN
NITROUS OXIDE
OXYGEN
PHOSPHORUS HYDRIDES
REFRACTIVE INDEX
SILANES
SILICON NITRIDES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 1000-4000 K
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY