| AVS 59th Annual International Symposium and Exhibition | |
| Electronic Materials and Processing | Monday Sessions |
| Session EM+TF+OX+GR-MoM |
| Session: | High-k Dielectrics for MOSFETs I |
| Presenter: | A.T. Lucero, University of Texas at Dallas |
| Authors: | A.T. Lucero, University of Texas at Dallas J. Kim, University of Texas at Dallas |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Thin silicon nitride films have long been desirable for various applications. Suggested uses range from surface and interface passivation to ultra-thin dielectric layers. Traditional deposition techniques are low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). High quality LPCVD films require high processing temperatures, and PECVD exposes the substrate to damaging plasma and electric potentials. While both techniques are suitable for many applications, there are some instances where both processes are too harsh.
In this paper, we report the growth of silicon nitride using a remote nitrogen radical generator system. Growth temperatures range from room temperature to 400 °C,and growth time is varied from two minutes to one hour. Film composition is analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and morphology is checked using atomic force microscopy. Results indicate that surface nitrogen saturation can be reached at both low temperatures and short exposure times,and that the reaction is self limiting, terminating at one monolayer. Film thickness is approximately one Angstrom, as determined by XPS. Results for silicon and III-V passivation will be discussed.
We would like to thank Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial Systems Corporation for providing the nitridation system used in this study.