Electron Spin Resonance in Discharge-Produced Silicon Nitride

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Abstract
ESR signal from the defects in plasma-deposited silicon nitride has been observed, for the first time. The g-value (2.0055) is identical with that of silicon dangling bonds in amorphous Si:H, and the linewidth (14.5 G) is two times as large as that of amorphous Si:H for spin densities below 1018 cm-3, above which narrowing of the linewidth takes place as in the case of amorphous Si:H. It is suggested that most of dangling bonds of nitrogen atoms in the silicon nitride are passivated by bonded-hydrogen and silicon dangling bonds are mainly responsible for the ESR signal. A correlation between the spin density and leakage current through the film is also discussed.