SiOxNy films deposited by remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using SiCl4

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Abstract
Silicon oxynitride films have been deposited by remote-plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using SiCl4 as a silicon source at a substrate temperature of 250 °C. Different mixtures of O2 and NH3 were used to obtain different oxynitride compositions ranging from SiO2 to a stoichiometry close to that of silicon nitride. Also the effect of a hydrogen flow added during the deposition process on the structural characteristics of the deposited films was studied. The behavior of the IR absorption spectra as well as the refractive index measured by ellipsometry were used to estimate the stoichiometry of the films as well as the effect of the different deposition parameters. It was found that the IR spectra show a shift of the characteristic peak associated with the stretching vibration mode of the Si–O–Si bonds toward lower wave numbers as the relative concentration of ammonia was increased with respect to oxygen. No double peaks associated with silicon oxide and silicon nitride were observed, indicating the formation of a homogeneous alloy. The IR absorption spectra for these films did not show any presence of O–H or Si–H related peaks. Atomic force microscopy measurements on these films show that the hydrogen flow added during deposition results in a reduction of the film roughness.

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