Electrically neutral nitrogen dangling-bond defects in amorphous hydrogenated silicon nitride thin films

Journal Article · Thu Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Journal of Applied Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.349433· OSTI ID:5411713

Warren, W L ^[1]; Lenahan, P M ^[2]; Kanicki, J ^[3]

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1. Electronic Properties of Materials Division, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)
2. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania (USA)
3. IBM Research Division, Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York (USA)

We have investigated the effects of different post-deposition temperature anneals and N-H concentrations, on the generation of ultraviolet (UV)-induced two-coordinated nitrogen dangling bonds in plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) silicon nitride films using electron spin resonance (ESR). It is shown that the nitrogen dangling bond is activated by post-deposition anneals with temperatures as low as 500 {degree}C in N-rich PECVD nitride films followed by subsequent UV broadband illumination. It also appears that there is a possible correlation between the initial N-H concentration in the films and the concentration of generated nitrogen dangling bonds following the anneal/UV sequence. We also report the charge state associated with the nitrogen dangling bond using a combination of ESR and capacitance versus voltage measurements; these measurements suggest that this two-coordinated defect is electrically neutral when paramagnetic.

• OSTI ID: 5411713
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States), Vol. 70:4; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
NITROGEN
QUANTITY RATIO
SILICON NITRIDES
ANNEALING
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
AMORPHOUS STATE
CHARGE STATE
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN ADDITIONS
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
PLASMA
THIN FILMS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
CHEMICAL COATING
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTS
FILMS
HEAT TREATMENTS
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
PNICTIDES
RADIATIONS
RESONANCE
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SURFACE COATING
360202* - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Structure & Phase Studies