The influence of deposition conditions on hydrogen bond configuration and trap sites in sputtered Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/

Conference · Sun Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1985 · J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6436761

Anderson, H M; Martin, P M

Considerable effort has been spent in defining the relationship between defect structure and charge characteristics in dielectric silicon nitride films used in microelectronic devices. The gap states of silicon nitride films are important, since they regulate memory properties of metal-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (MNOS) devices and electrical properties of thin film transistors. Gap states in silicon nitride arise from defects in the film and are attributed to Si and N dangling bond ( is identical toSi and =N units) formation during the deposition process. Hydrogen is known to passivate dangling bonds and remove the gap states of amorphous silicon (a-Si), and it is thought that hydrogen plays a similarly crucial role in determining the concentration of trap states in silicon nitride. The configuration in which hydrogen is chemically bonded in the nitride affects the concentration of Si and N dangling bonds in the film and, consequently, the reproducibility of device memory or conductive behavior. In this technical note, we present some results showing the influence of deposition conditions on the partition of hydrogen bonding between Si and N in sputtered Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ films. These results may prove useful in understanding the passivation Si and N dangling bonds and the location of trap sites in nitride films. Previous theoretical calculations based on the tight binding recursion method have lead to the conclusion that is identical toSi centers are the longterm charge storage trap in CVD-deposited nitride as well as the center responsible for charge trapping instabilities in amorphous silicon-silicon nitride thin film transistors. The experimental results presented in this paper provide further evidence that hydrogen acts preferentially to passivate the =N dangling bonds of silicon nitride films.

• Research Organization: Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• OSTI ID: 6436761
• Report Number(s): CONF-850311-
• Journal Information: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 132:4; ISSN JESOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400400 -- Electrochemistry
42 ENGINEERING
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
CHEMICAL BONDS
CHEMISTRY
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY GAP
HYDROGEN
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
PASSIVATION
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON NITRIDES
SPUTTERING
TRANSISTORS