Characterization of amorphous silicon nitride thin films deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition Using free radicals of trichlorosilane and ammonia gaseous system

A Salmasi, E Keshavarz Alamdari
unpublished
In this paper, preparation and characterization of a-SiN x thin films deposited by LPCVD method from free radicals of TCS and NH 3 gaseous system were investigated. These radicals are made by passing each of the precursor gases separately over Pt-Ir/Al 2 O 3 catalyst at the temperature of 600 C. Kinetics of this process was investigated at different total pressures, NH 3 /TCS flow rate ratios and temperatures. Surface topography and chemical concentrations were studied by Ellipsometry, XXPS,
more » ... and ADP. Our analyses of the performed experiments indicated that at the temperatures between 730 C and 830 C, the growth rate of thin films follows an Arrhenius behavior with activation energy of 166.3 KJ.mol-1. The measured H 2 contamination in a-SiN x thin films is 1.05 at%, which is 17 times lower than the corresponding contamination in the films produced by PECVD and 3.4 times lower than the contamination in the LPCVD thin films with SiH 4 or DCS and NH 3. The created surface topography of the prepared films is smooth and uniform.
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