Paramagnetic nitrogen defects in silicon nitride. [Amorphous hydrogenated SiN]

Conference · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6658049

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

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. International Business Machines Corp., Yorktown Heights, NY (United States). Thomas J. Watson Research Center
3. National Power, Leatherhead (United Kingdom)
4. Army Electronics Technology and Devices Lab., Fort Monmouth, NJ (United States)

Photocreation mechanisms and properties of nitrogen dangling bonds in amorphous hydrogenated silicon nitride (a-SiN[sub x]:H) thin films are investigated. We find that the creation kinetics are strongly dependent on the post-deposition anneal; this thermal process can be described by a simple exponential function which yields an activation energy of 0.8 eV. The compositional dependence of the nitrogen dangling bond center suggests that its energy level lies close to the valence band edge, in agreement with theoretical calculations. This energy level position can explain why a-SiN[sub x]:H films often become conducting following a high post-deposition anneal.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6658049
• Report Number(s): SAND-92-2777C; CONF-921101--99; ON: DE93008341
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360204* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Physical Properties
AMORPHOUS STATE
ANNEALING
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE
ELEMENTS
FILMS
HEAT TREATMENTS
HYDROGENATION
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
NITRIDES
NITROGEN
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
PNICTIDES
RADIATIONS
RESONANCE
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON NITRIDES
THIN FILMS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION