Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
Films of silicon nitride have been deposited using a continuous wave CO2 laser to excite gaseous mixtures of silane and ammonia. A typical deposition rate is 150Å/min. The hydrogen film content and its dependence on the substrate deposition temperature are similar to that observed for plasma CVD silicon nitride. The CO2 laser CVD films are silicon rich with a Si/N ratio = 1.2 at a NH3/SiH4 gas flow ratio of 1000. Conformal step coverage is observed on patterned silicon oxide features.