Remote plasma-enhanced CVD of silicon nitride films: Effects of diluting nitrogen with argon. Part II: Effect of nitrogen plasma parameters on layer characteristics

In Part I we reported the results of an emission spectroscopic study of the plasma obtained in an SiH4-N-2-Ar mixture, It was shown that argon in metastable electronic excited states provides a high concentration of atomic nitrogen, In this part we report the results of a study of the influence of argon dilution on the growth rate, composition and properties of silicon nitride films, The exact influence of nitrogen dilution with argon depends on the process parameters and on the method of coupling of the RF power, but it is found in general that a high concentration of atomic nitrogen leads to changes in the relative amounts of Si-H-j and N-H-i bonds and in the Si/N ratio of deposited films, In particular, it is shown that hydrogen incorporation can be reduced and improved stoichiometry can be obtained, (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.