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Comparative Study of the Optical and Vibrational Properties of a-SiNx:H Films Prepared from SiH4-N2 and SiH4-NH3 Gas Mixtures by rf Plasma

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Abstract

The properties of amorphous silicon nitride films (a-SiNx:H) prepared by PECVD from SiH4-NH3 and SiH4-N2 gas mixtures have been determined by spectroscopie ellipsometry and FTIR spectroscopy as a function of the nitrogen concentration measured by XPS. The films are transparent for silane ratios [SiH4]/([SiH4] + [NH3]) < 20% and [SiH4]/([SiH4] + [N2]) < 1.5%. The refractive index shows a wide range of progressive variation from 3.2 for high silane concentrations to 1.8 for low silane concentrations. The hydrogen content of the low-absorbing films has much lower values for those obtained by SiH4 + N2 plasma than for those obtained by SiH4 + NH3 plasma. The results are discussed in terms of growth models of PECVD a-SiNx:H films from SiH4-NH3 and SiH4-N2 mixtures.

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Acknowledgement

This work was partially supported by the C.I.C.Y.T. of Spain under contract MAT 0955/90 and the C.E.C. BRITE-EURAM program, under contract n°BREU-CT91 0411 (DSCN). The authors acknowledge N.Ferrer and J.Portillo from the Serveis Cientffico TPcnics de la Universitat de Barcelona for the helpful performance of FTIR and XPS measurements.

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  1. Departament de Física Aplicada i Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 647., E08028 Barcelona (Catalonia), Spain

    J. Campmany, E. Bertran, J.L. Andújar, A. Canillas, J. M. López-Villegas & J. R. Morante

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  1. J. Campmany
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  2. E. Bertran
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  3. J.L. Andújar
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  4. A. Canillas
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  5. J. M. López-Villegas
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  6. J. R. Morante
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Campmany, J., Bertran, E., Andújar, J. et al. Comparative Study of the Optical and Vibrational Properties of a-SiNx:H Films Prepared from SiH4-N2 and SiH4-NH3 Gas Mixtures by rf Plasma. MRS Online Proceedings Library 258, 643–648 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-258-643

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-258-643

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