Electron paramagnetic resonance investigation of charge trapping centers in amorphous silicon nitride films

We have explored the nature of the silicon dangling-bond center in amorphous hydrogenated silicon nitride (a-SiNx:H) thin films, and its relationship to the charge trapping centers using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements. We have investigated the quanti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied physics 1993-09, Vol.74 (6), p.4034-4046
Main Authors: WARREN, W. L, KANICKI, J, ROBERTSON, J, POINDEXTER, E. H, MCWHORTER, P. J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amorphous semiconductors
glasses
AMORPHOUS STATE
CHARGE STATES
Color centers and other defects
Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties
Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties
DEFECTS
Electrical properties of specific thin films
Electron paramagnetic resonance and relaxation
ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE
Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures
Exact sciences and technology
HYDROGEN ADDITIONS
Impurity and defect levels
energy states of adsorbed species
Lattice dynamics
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
Magnetic resonances and relaxations in condensed matter, mössbauer effect
MATERIALS SCIENCE
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
Phonon-electron and phonon-phonon interactions
Phonons and vibrations in crystal lattices
Physics
PNICTIDES
RESONANCE
SILICON COMPOUNDS 360606 > Other Materials-- Physical Properties-- (1992-)
SILICON NITRIDES
Surface and interface electron states
THIN FILMS
TRAPPING
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Summary:We have explored the nature of the silicon dangling-bond center in amorphous hydrogenated silicon nitride (a-SiNx:H) thin films, and its relationship to the charge trapping centers using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements. We have investigated the quantitative relationship between the concentration of silicon dangling bonds using EPR and the concentration of charge traps, measured by C-V measurements, for both UV-illuminated and unilluminated a-SiNx:H thin films subjected to both electron and hole injection sequences. A theoretical framework for our results is also discussed. These results continue to support a model in which the Si dangling bond is a negative-U defect in silicon nitride, and that a change in charge state of preexisting positively and negatively charged Si sites is responsible for the trapping phenomena observed in these thin film dielectrics.
ISSN:0021-8979
1089-7550
DOI:10.1063/1.355315