Effect of ammonia plasma pretreatment on the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride films

Abstract

Silicon-rich, nearly stoichiometric and nitrogen-rich silicon nitride films have been prepared by the glow-discharge decomposition of silane and ammonia with nitrogen dilution, with and without ammonia plasma pre-treatment of the silicon substrate. A considerable improvement in the silicon nitride/silicon interface, as evident from the large reduction in the minimum interface state density ( D it) min, due to ammonia plasma pretreatment is observed.