X-ray Reflectivity and Photoelectron Spectroscopy of Superlattices with Silicon Nanocrystals

The structural properties and features of the chemical composition of SiOxNy/SiO2, SiOxNy/Si3N4, and SiNx/Si3N4 multilayer thin films with ultrathin (1-1.5 nm) barrier SiO2 or Si3N4 layers are studied. The films have been prepared by plasma chemical vapor deposition and have been annealed at a temperature of 1150 degrees C for the formation of silicon nanocrystals in the SiOxNy or SiNx silicon-rich layers with a nominal thickness of 5 nm. The period of superlattices in the studied samples has been estimated by X-ray reflectivity. The phase composition of superlattices has been studied by X-ray electron spectroscopy using the decomposition of photoelectron spectra of the Si 2p, N 1s, and O 1s levels into components corresponding to different charge states of atoms.