Ultrathin fluorinated silicon nitride gate dielectric films formed by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition employing NH{sub 3} and SiF{sub 4}

Journal Article · Wed Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 2001 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1381556· OSTI ID:40230563

Ohta, Hiroyuki; Hori, Masaru; Goto, Toshio

Ultrathin fluorinated silicon nitride (SiN{sub x}) films of 4 nm in thickness were formed on a Si substrate at 350{sup o}C in the downflow of electron cyclotron resonance plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition employing ammonia and tetrafluorosilane (NH{sub 3}/SiF{sub 4}) gases. Ultrathin fluorinated SiN{sub x} film was evaluated for use as a gate dielectric film. The observed properties indicated an extremely low leakage current, one order of magnitude lower than thermal SiO{sub 2} of identical equivalent oxide thickness, as well as an excellent hysteresis loop (20 mV) and interface trap density (D{sub it}=4 x 10{sup 11}cm{sup -2}) in the capacitance--voltage characteristics. The film structures and the surface reactions for the fluorinated SiN{sub x} film formation were examined via in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. in situ Fourier-transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, in situ atomic force microscopy, and thermal desorption mass spectroscopy. The control of the fluorine concentration in the SiN{sub x} films was found to be a key factor in the formation of fluorinated SiN{sub x} films of high quality at low temperatures. Fluorinated SiN{sub x} is the effective material for application in ultrathin gate dielectric film in ultralarge-scale integrated circuits. {copyright} 2001 American Institute of Physics.

• Sponsoring Organization: (US)
• OSTI ID: 40230563
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 90; ISSN 0021-8979
• Publisher: The American Physical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ELECTRON CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
LEAKAGE CURRENT
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PLASMA
SILICON NITRIDES