Electron-spin-resonance study of defects in plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride

Abstract
Silicon nitride films with low defect densities can be prepared by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition with ammonia‐to‐silane ratios adjusted to obtain N‐rich materials. An electron‐spin‐resonance signal with g value close to 2.002 is reported for such materials, and the defect is identified as a Si atom coordinated to three N atoms as observed earlier in high‐temperature chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride. Densities below 1016 cm3 are measured for substrate temperatures above 350 °C for the first time. The distribution of defects is uniform through the film thickness. A surface defect density of 1012 cm2 has also been found in films deposited at 250 °C.

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