Capacitance-Voltage and Interface State Density Characteristics of GaAs and In0.53Ga0.47As MOS Capacitors Incorporating a PECVD Si3N4 Dielectric

Abstract

Si3N4 films were simultaneously deposited on GaAs and In0.53Ga0.47As in a PECVD reactor to explore NH3 plasma exposure of both substrates without any subsequent ambient exposure prior to dielectric formation. For both GaAs and In0.53Ga0.47As MOS devices the interface defect density near midgap was significantly reduced due to NH3 plasma and post-metallisation forming gas annealing (FGA). A 10 second NH3 plasma combined with FGA resulted in a 50% reduction in the peak Dit for the near-midgap defect on GaAs, and a 66% reduction in Dit for the midgap defect on In0.53Ga0.47As. This comparable defect-response behaviour suggests that the defect observed at midgap for In0.53Ga0.47As is very similar in nature to the near-midgap defect in GaAs, and is potentially the same defect. This would indicate that the influence of Ga or As-related defect states are predominant compared to In-related defect states for the midgap defect response typically observed for In0.53Ga0.47As devices