X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of oxygen annealed radio frequency sputter deposited SiCN thin films

Thin films of amorphous silicon carbide nitride (a-SiCxNy) were deposited in a rf magnetron sputtering system using a sintered SiC target. Films with various compositions were deposited onto silicon substrate by changing the N-2/Ar gas ratios during sputtering. These films were annealed in dry oxygen ambient in the temperature range of 400-900 degrees C. Subsequently these annealed films were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the chemical composition and oxidation kinetics at each annealing temperature. The results indicated that the oxidation of films was more gradual for the samples deposited with no nitrogen compared to the ones deposited with nitrogen. (c) 2006 The Electrochemical Society.