(Digital Presentation) Effect of N2-Anneal Temperature on Silicon Nitride Film: (II) Fine Structures of ESR Spectrum and FTIR

Abstract

We performed fine analyses on ESR spectra of silicon nitride (SiN) films grown on a Si (0 0 1) substrate via low-pressure chemical vapor deposition and N2-annealed at temperatures ranging from 700°C to 1150°C. We observed two types of temperature dependency for the number of Si dangling bonds (DBs): in one case, a maximum occurred at 900°C, and in the other case, the number of DBs increased with increasing temperature over 1000°C. The former type of DBs was associated with defects of the Pb0 center at the topmost substrate, (three silicon back-bonds present), and the M signal (generated by Si suboxide with one or two oxygen back-bonds). The latter DB group was attributed to the E' center in the natural oxide layer at the interface between the grown SiN layer and the substrate and the K center in the SiN film. Charge breakdown (Qbd) of the MOS capacitor is strongly related to both DB groups and may have started at the defect associated with the Si suboxide state.