Electron paramagnetic resonance investigation of charge trapping centers in amorphous silicon nitride films

Journal Article · Wed Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Journal of Applied Physics; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.355315· OSTI ID:6048154

Warren, W L ^[1]; Kanicki, J ^[2]; Robertson, J ^[3]; Poindexter, E H ^[4]; McWhorter, P J ^[5]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories, Advanced Materials Laboratory, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 (United States)
2. IBM Research Division, Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598 (United States)
3. National Power Laboratories, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22-7SE (United Kingdom)
4. Army Research Laboratory, Electronics and Power Sources Directorate, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey 07703-5601 (United States)
5. Silicon Technologies Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-5800 (United States)

We have explored the nature of the silicon dangling-bond center in amorphous hydrogenated silicon nitride ([ital a]-SiN[sub [ital x]]:H) thin films, and its relationship to the charge trapping centers using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and capacitance-voltage ([ital C]-[ital V]) measurements. We have investigated the quantitative relationship between the concentration of silicon dangling bonds using EPR and the concentration of charge traps, measured by [ital C]-[ital V] measurements, for both UV-illuminated and unilluminated [ital a]-SiN[sub [ital x]]:H thin films subjected to both electron and hole injection sequences. A theoretical framework for our results is also discussed. These results continue to support a model in which the Si dangling bond is a negative-U defect in silicon nitride, and that a change in charge state of preexisting positively and negatively charged Si sites is responsible for the trapping phenomena observed in these thin film dielectrics.

• OSTI ID: 6048154
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (United States) Vol. 74:6; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360606* -- Other Materials-- Physical Properties-- (1992-)
AMORPHOUS STATE
CHARGE STATES
DEFECTS
ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE
FILMS
HYDROGEN ADDITIONS
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
RESONANCE
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON NITRIDES
THIN FILMS
TRAPPING