Silicon nitride films grown on silicon below 300 °C in low power nitrogen plasma

Abstract
Device quality silicon nitride films ranging in thickness down to 30 Å were successfully grown on silicon at temperatures below 300 °C in a radio frequency (rf) nitrogen plasma. The growth rate was controlled in the range 5–100 Å/h by changing nitrogen pressure, rf power, and growth temperature. Electron microscopy and Auger spectroscopy showed that the films were amorphous, microcrack‐free, close to stoichiometry Si3N4, and formed a sharp interface with the Si substrate. The breakdown voltage of Al‐Si3N4‐Si capacitors was about (1.3±0.2)×107 V/cm and the typical density of the leakage current was below 3×107 A/cm2 at 5 V bias for films 70 Å thick.

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