Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1691300 | Vacuum | 2008 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
Ultra-thin (5 and 6 nm) silicon oxynitride layers have been fabricated by the plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) process. Split experiments with annealing of the deposited dielectric layers were performed using the RTP reactor and a standard furnace, both at 900 °C. Possible changes in properties, structure and chemical composition of the obtained layers were investigated by means of spectroscopic ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and electrical characterisation of manufactured test structures (metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitors and MISFETs). The results achieved have shown that annealing at high temperature causes improvement of the properties of ultra-thin silicon oxynitride layers (e.g. lower interface traps density, lower leakage currents within the dielectric layer and lower charge-pumping currents of the MISFETs). The observed improvement in electro-physical properties can be attributed to the increase of the SiON phase. Moreover, comparison between the physical thickness and the equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of the layers shows a decrease in physical thickness obtained by using the silicon oxynitride layer instead of the classical silicon dioxide. These findings are important for the consideration of chances of PECVD oxynitride layer application for CMOS technology.
Keywords
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Materials Science
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Authors
Robert MroczyÅski, Norbert Kwietniewski, MichaÅ Äwil, Patrick Hoffmann, Romuald B. Beck, Andrzej Jakubowski,