Optical and structural characterization of rapid thermal annealed non-stoichiometric silicon nitride film

• Published in: Journal of physics. Condensed matter 2008-08, Vol.20 (33), p.335232-335232 (5)
• Main Authors: Singh, Sarab Preet, Srivastava, P, Vijaya Prakash, G, Modi, M H, Rai, Sanjay, Lodha, G S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Exact sciences and technology; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Other semiconductors; Physics; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology
• ISSN: 0953-8984; 1361-648X
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/20/33/335232

A detailed optical and structural characterization is carried out of a silicon nitride film deposited by a Hg-sensitized photo-CVD technique and subsequently subjected to rapid thermal annealing (RTA). An attempt has been made to correlate ellipsometry data with x-ray reflectivity (XRR) and x-ray diffraction data. Both the optical constants and density of the film were found to increase after thermal treatment. RTA treatment resulted in substantial change in the refractive index with more compaction of the film. This is explained in terms of hydrogen terminated defects/voids created due to predominant out-diffusion of hydrogen with RTA treatment.