Plasma nitridation of silicon by N2 and NH3 in PECVD reactor

Abstract

The effect was investigated of nitrogen and ammonia plasma treatment of monocrystalline Si wafers. The experiments were carried out in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor. The wafers were subjected to N2 and NH3 plasma treatment for varying times at temperature of 380 °C. The plasma treated surfaces were studied by transmission electron microscopy with C-Pt replicas, reflection high-energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy. The results point to the growth of an amorphous layer on the surface. The Auger electron spectroscopy depth profiles obtained by sputtering show the presence of an oxynitride layer with varying composition depending on the time of plasma treatment. The Auger electron spectroscopy analysis shows that after 60 s of treatment in N2 plasma, the nitrogen content is 8 at.%, while after 300 s it is 22 at.%, the thickness of the oxynitride nanolayer being 2.5-7.2 nm. In the case of NH3 plasma the thickness calculated from the sputtering time (from 50 s to 15 min) varies between 2 and 12 nm, and the nitrogen content, between 5 and 35 at.%.