Defects and hydrogen in amorphous silicon nitride
Author:
- 1 February 1994
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Philosophical Magazine Part B
- Vol. 69 (2) , 307-326
Abstract
The behaviour of defects in amorphous silicon nitride (a-Si3N4) and the hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiNx: H) alloys are described. The main defects in a-Si3N4 are the Si and N dangling bonds (DBs). The Si DB forms a sp3 state near midgap, while the N DB forms a highly localized pπ level just above the valence-band edge. The behaviour of the alloys changes near x ≈ 1.1, the percolation threshold of Si-Si bonds. In the Si-rich alloys (x1.1 alloys behave largely like silicon nitride; the valence band changes towards N pπ like, both Si and N DBs can arise and the Si DB can have a high density and prefers to be in its charged diamagnetic configurations. The density of defects in a-SiN x : H, via the equilibration with weak Si-Si bonds, depends on the diffusion coefficient of hydrogen. A theory of H diffusion is developed which shows that the optimum deposition temperature varies linearly with the bandgap of the alloys.Keywords
This publication has 59 references indexed in Scilit:
- Light-induced metastable changes in amorphous silicon nitridePhilosophical Magazine Part B, 1994
- Defect chemical potential and the density of states in amorphous siliconPhysical Review Letters, 1993
- Similarities, differences, and trends in the properties of interstitial H in cubic C, Si, BN, BP, AlP, and SiCPhysical Review B, 1990
- Photobleaching of light-induced paramagnetic defects in amorphous silicon nitride filmsApplied Physics Letters, 1990
- Potential fluctuations due to inhomogeneity in hydrogenated amorphous silicon and the resulting charged dangling-bond defectsPhysical Review B, 1990
- Diffusion of hydrogen in low-pressure chemical vapor deposited silicon nitride filmsApplied Physics Letters, 1990
- Evidence for a negative electron-electron correlation energy in the dominant deep trapping center in silicon nitride filmsApplied Physics Letters, 1990
- Influence of Deposition Temperature, Gas Pressure, Gas Phase Composition, and RF Frequency on Composition and Mechanical Stress of Plasma Silicon Nitride LayersJournal of the Electrochemical Society, 1985
- Dangling Bonds in Memory‐Quality Silicon Nitride FilmsJournal of the Electrochemical Society, 1985
- Model for the Electronic Structure of Amorphous SemiconductorsPhysical Review Letters, 1975