ESR of silicon oxide thin-film capacitors

Abstract

Amorphous thin films of silicon oxide deposited by the evaporation of silicon monoxide powder show an unresolved ESR signal with g values between 2.006 and 2.014. Spin densities of the order of 10 19 cm −3 were measured, depending strongly on the preparation and annealing conditions. It is probable that unsaturated oxygen bonds are responsible for the ESR signal. It is believed that electric conduction in thin silicon oxide films is due to impurity ions and electronic conduction. In order to study the conduction mechanism in thin silicon oxide films, an electric field was applied simultaneously with the ESR measurements. Thin-film capacitors with the sandwich structure of CrAu/SiO/Au were used. The thickness of the silicon oxide films was between 4000 and 7000 Å. Electric fields of less than 10 7 V/cm were applied.