Synthesis of silicon nitride films using the are technique

Yoon, Jin‐San; Doerr, H.J.; Deshpandey, C.V.; Bunshah, R.F.

doi:10.1016/0040-6090(89)90529-4

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Coatings of SnO 2 , In 2 O 3 and CdO have been reported using this technique [13][14][15]. This work refers to a low temperature plasma evaporation process, which has already been used successfully by Bunshah et al [16] for the deposition of silicon dioxide as well as silicon nitride films [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Activated reactive evaporation deposited silicon nitride as a masking material for MEMS fabrication

Patil

Gangal

2005

J. Micromech. Microeng.

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Silicon nitride films were deposited in a nitrogen gas plasma by an ‘activated reactive evaporation’ (ARE) process on silicon substrates maintained at room temperature. Silicon powder was evaporated by e-beam evaporation in the presence of the nitrogen gas plasma excited by a radio frequency (RF) power source (13.56 MHz). The films deposited at 80 W RF plasma power for 30 min deposition time were characterized by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy and ellipsometry techniques. The x-ray diffraction pattern reveals the polycrystalline nature of the films with characteristics of hexagonal structure even at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed formation of silicon-rich silicon nitride. The FTIR spectrum shows Si–N bond formation and absence of Si–H bond, indicating hydrogen-free films. Scanning electron microscope shows pinhole and crack-free surface of the films without any particulates of silicon on the surface. The refractive index (η) and the thickness (d) are observed to be 1.99 and 1800 Å, respectively. The present work also describes the results on application of ‘ARE’ silicon nitride thin films as a masking material for the anisotropic etching of silicon in aqueous KOH solution. A pattern was lithographically transferred through the masking material on the silicon substrate. The etch rate of the films ∼4 Å min−1 was calculated from the masking time data of the films. The activation energy of 0.52 eV was determined by the relationship between temperature and the rate constant, which is in good agreement with the results reported in the literature. The etch rate value is low as compared to the etch rate of the conventional masking materials (60 Å min−1 for SiO2 and 8 Å min−1 for LPCVD Si3N4). Thus, ‘ARE’ silicon nitride films withstand higher concentrations of KOH for larger time periods compared to the conventional masking materials and act as a good masking material for MEMS.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Activated reactive evaporation deposited silicon nitride as a masking material for MEMS fabrication

Patil

Gangal

2005

J. Micromech. Microeng.

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“…Very few studies deal with the preparation of silicon nitride films by reactive evaporation. In these studies, the films are prepared using a radiofrequency plasma, which requires high power, and to be free of oxygen they need to be deposited at high temperature [23] (400 • C). Those prepared at low temperature contain oxygen atoms leading to the growth of an important oxynitride phase [24].…”

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confidence: 99%

Preparation of dense, smooth and homogeneous amorphous silicon nitride films by nitrogen-ion-beam assisted evaporation

Molinari

Rinnert

Vergnat

2008

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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Amorphous silicon-rich silicon nitride films were deposited by ion-beam-assisted evaporation onto silicon substrates maintained at 100 °C without substrate bias or with a substrate bias of −250 V. The structure, the composition of the films and the effect of the substrate bias were studied by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared absorption measurements, chemical etch rate experiments, atomic force and scanning electron microscopies. While the films prepared without bias are nanoporous and columnar, it is shown that accelerating the nitrogen ions by biasing the substrate enables us to produce homogeneous, dense and smooth amorphous Si-rich silicon nitride (a-SiNx) films free of oxygen and hydrogen.

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Low-temperature silicon nitride: a promising dielectric in semiconductor technology

Zakhar'in

Rubtsov

et al. 1992

Thin Solid Films

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Synthesis of silicon nitride films using the are technique

Cited by 5 publications

References 17 publications

Activated reactive evaporation deposited silicon nitride as a masking material for MEMS fabrication

Activated reactive evaporation deposited silicon nitride as a masking material for MEMS fabrication

Preparation of dense, smooth and homogeneous amorphous silicon nitride films by nitrogen-ion-beam assisted evaporation

Low-temperature silicon nitride: a promising dielectric in semiconductor technology

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