A new compound, tris(dimethylamino)silane was used as an organosilicon source for the deposition of silicon oxynitride thin films. The depositions were carried out at low substrate temperatures (<150 °C) in an electron cyclotron resonance plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor. Films with compositions varying from Si3N4 to SiO2 were deposited on silicon substrates by varying the N2/O2 flow ratio to the plasma chamber. In situ ellipsometry measurements of the film optical index were well correlated with film composition. Auger electron spectroscopy showed that only low levels of carbon (<3 at. %) were present, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed low levels of bonded hydrogen. The deposition rate of high quality Si3N4 was as high as 220 Å/min.

Articles you may be interested inReduction of hydrogen-induced optical losses of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition silicon oxynitride by phosphorus doping and heat treatment

The annealing behavior of amorphous, hydrogenated silicon carbide films in the range 400-900°C was studied by optical characterization methods, 15 N hydrogen profiling, and defect profiling using a variable energy positron beam. The films were deposited in an electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition system using ditertiary butyl silane ͓SiH 2 ͑C 4 H 9 ͒ 2 ͔ as the monosource for silicon and carbon. As-deposited films were found to contain large concentrations of hydrogen, both bonded and unbonded. Under rapid thermal annealing in a N 2 atmosphere, the bonded hydrogen effuses giving rise to additional Si-C bond formation and to film densification. After annealing at high temperatures in N 2 , a marked decrease in the total hydrogen content is observed. After annealing in vacuum, however, the hydrogen effusion promotes void formation in the films.

High quality, gold-colored TiN was deposited at room temperature by decomposing TiCl4 in the downstream of an N2/H2 electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma. The morphology of the as-deposited films was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, and the resistivity was measured using the four point probe technique. The films were uniform over 2 in. wafers, with resistivities of 100–150 μΩ cm. Auger electron spectroscopy was used for the determination of the Ti/N ratio and for the detection of contaminants, and shows that the as-deposited films were stoichiometric and chlorine free. The present results represent a major improvement in lowering the deposition temperature of TiN using ECR plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition with TiCl4 as reactant.

No abstract