Sensitization of silicon nitride surfaces for Ag+ ions by ion implantation

Thin films of Si(3)N4 implanted with Ag+ and S+ ions were studied using electrolyte insulator semiconductor measurements (EIS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The ion implantation results in embedding silver metal particles, submicron in size, enveloped by a thin skin of Ag2S within the matrix layer. This composite material is shown to be responsible for the Ag+ ion sensitivity. The Ag+ ion sensitivity observed reveals values ranging from some millivolts to nearly Nernstian response. A modeling on the basis of site-binding theory was made to describe the ion sensitivity of the composite material surface. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.