Electrical Properties of Silicon Nitride Thin Films Fabricated by ECR PECVD at Room Temperature

Abstract

ABSTRACTSilicon nitride thin films were deposited on single crystalline silicon substrates at room temperature by ECR PECVD with SiH4 and N2 as source gases and the electrical properties were analyzed. The dominant conduction mechanism in a high field was Poole-Frenkel emission. A ledge in I-V curve was observed in the first voltage ramp and it was found to originate from the field reduction at the injecting electrode due to the charge trapped in deep traps in the film. It also turned out that the ledge is a characteristic of monopolar conduction. A new interpretation of the current at low field — tunneling into trap states — was proposed and the current variations according to the field and temperature could be well explained.