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Effect of the hydrogen content in the optical properties and etching of silicon nitride films deposited by PECVD for uncooled microbolometers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

R. Ambrosio ,
A. Torres ,
A. Kosarev ,
M. Landa  and
A. Heredia
R. Ambrosio
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, INAOE, Apdo. P. 51 and 216, P.O. Box. 72000, Puebla, Mexico.
A. Torres
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, INAOE, Apdo. P. 51 and 216, P.O. Box. 72000, Puebla, Mexico.
A. Kosarev
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, INAOE, Apdo. P. 51 and 216, P.O. Box. 72000, Puebla, Mexico.
M. Landa
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, INAOE, Apdo. P. 51 and 216, P.O. Box. 72000, Puebla, Mexico.
A. Heredia
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, INAOE, Apdo. P. 51 and 216, P.O. Box. 72000, Puebla, Mexico.
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Abstract

We have studied silicon nitride films a-SiN:H deposited at a substrate temperature of 350°C by means of the Low frequency (LF) PECVD from silane and nitrogen as stock gases. Film properties as hydrogen bonding and content, nitrogen content, refractive index and etch rate are reported and analyzed. Our deposited films show physical properties similar to those that are obtained deposition temperatures of 700°C by the low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) technique. An investigation of bonding structures for the deposited films was performed, and quantitative results for hydrogen bonding based on Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis are presented. It was observed that low hydrogen content in the films is in good correlation with low etch rate in 10% buffered HF solution, therefore these films present a material with good etch selectivity in respect to others materials (as phosphosilicate glass PSG, Al etc). Selectivity which makes these films very promising in surface micromachining for fabrication of sensors and device structures, e.g. microbolometers. Additionally, the Si-N bond at 830-840cm-1 was analyzed because of its big absorption produced at 12μm; therefore these films can be used as absorber layers in uncooled microbolometres.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 862: Symposium A – Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon Science and Technology–2005 , 2005 , A9.6
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

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