Electron cyclotron resonance plasma assisted sputter deposition of boron nitride films

Boron nitride films have been deposited on p-type silicon substrates by rf sputtering in the presence of an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma at a temperature of 450 degrees C. Structural phases were identified using IR spectroscopy and electrical characterization was carried out in the metal-insulator-semiconductor configuration. It was shown that the presence of ECR plasma enhanced the formation of cubic phase at substrate temperature as low as 450 degrees C, along with hexagonal phase. The dielectric constant was found to be 6-8 and the resistivity was about 10(12) Omega cm. The capacitance-voltage characteristics indicated good electronic interface with the presence of ECR plasma, with the density of states of about 1.18x10(12) eV(-1) cm(-2). The density of states was found to be higher by a factor of 2 in the absence of ECR plasma. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.