Paramagnetic point defects in amorphous silicon dioxide and amorphous silicon nitride thin films

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2069319· OSTI ID:5236388

Warren, W L ^[1]; Kanicki, J ^[2]; Rong, F C; Poindexter, E H ^[3]

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1. Electronic Ceramics Div., Sandia National Lab., Albuquerque, NM (US)
2. IBM Research Div., Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY (US)
3. U.S. Army Electronics Technology and Devices Lab., Fort Monmouth, NJ (US)

In this paper the authors review paramagnetic point defects in amorphous silicon nitride thin films. We will discuss two intrinsic paramagnetic defects: a trivalent silicon center, named the K-center, and the recently observed nitrogen dangling-bond center. We examine the structural identification, and the electronic properties of the K-center, as well as consider why a SiN{sub x}:H is generally a very effective charge trapping dielectric. In addition, this paper compares and contrasts special features of the structure and electronic role of the paramagnetic point defects in both silicon dioxide and silicon nitride thin films; this may provide insight for further studies on the physics and chemistry of these dangling-bond centers in both materials.

• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5236388
• Journal Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States), Vol. 139:3; ISSN 0013-4651
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
SILICON NITRIDES
THIN FILMS
POINT DEFECTS
AMORPHOUS STATE
CHEMICAL BONDS
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
NITROGEN
PARAMAGNETISM
SILICON OXIDES
TRAPPED ELECTRONS
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
FERMIONS
FILMS
LEPTONS
MAGNETISM
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
360202* - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Structure & Phase Studies
664100 - Theory of Electronic Structure of Atoms & Molecules- (1992-)