Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Silicon nitride (SiNx) films have been successfully synthesized by the catalytic chemical vapor deposition (cat-CVD) method using a gaseous mixture of silane (SiH4) and ammonia (NH3). In the method, the deposition gases are decomposed by catalytic cracking reactions with a high temperature (1700°C) catalyzer near the substrates, and SiNx films can be deposited at substrate temperatures lower than 400°C without using plasma or photochemical excitation. Nearly stoichiometric Si3N4 films are formed when the flow ratio of NH3 exceeds over 100 times of that of SiH4. These cat-CVD SiNx films show excellent properties. That is, the resistivity, the breakdown voltage, the chemical etch resistance and hydrogen content in the films are almost equivalent to those of high-temperature thermal CVD films. In addition, the surface diffusion length of depositing species is about several-tens μπι and step-coverage itself is conformai. Thus, the cat-CVD SiNx films are regarded not only as a new device passivation films superior to the conventional plasma-CVD films but as a gate insulator for electon devices due to their high quality.