Nature of traps responsible for the memory effect in silicon nitride

Nature of traps responsible for the memory effect in Si3N4 still remains the subject matter of much discussion. Based on our quantum chemical simulation results, Si–Si bonds can be identified as traps for electrons and holes with localization energies falling within the ranges of W t e = 1.2 − 1.7  ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2016-08, Vol.109 (6)
Main Authors: Gritsenko, V. A., Perevalov, T. V., Orlov, O. M., Krasnikov, G. Ya
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied physics
Bonding strength
Computer simulation
Electrons
Hole traps
Ionization
Localization
Organic chemistry
Photoluminescence
Quantum chemistry
Silicon nitride
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Summary:Nature of traps responsible for the memory effect in Si3N4 still remains the subject matter of much discussion. Based on our quantum chemical simulation results, Si–Si bonds can be identified as traps for electrons and holes with localization energies falling within the ranges of W t e = 1.2 − 1.7   eV and W t h = 0.9 − 1.4   eV . Within the multiphonon trap ionization model, our experimental data on Si3N4 conductivity have allowed us to evaluate the thermal ionization energies of electron and hole traps in Si3N4 as W t e = W t h = 1.4   eV . The same value of 1.4 eV was obtained as half the Stokes shift of the 2.4 eV green photoluminescence line observed in Si3N4 films under excitation with 5.2 eV. Thus, the data obtained in the present study strongly suggest that Si–Si bonds are responsible for localization of electrons and holes in Si3N4.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4959830