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One-Step Synthesis of Silicon Oxynitride Films Using a Steady-State and High-Flux Helicon-Wave Excited Nitrogen Plasma

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Abstract

A steady-state and high-flux helicon-wave excited N2 plasma was used to oxynitride Si substrates for the synthesis of silicon oxynitride (SiON) films. X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS) have been extensively used to characterize surface quality of the SiON films, and it is found that a large amount of nitrogen (N) can be incorporated into the films. The result of XPS depth profiles shows that the N concentration is high near the surface and the oxide/Si interface. In the UPS spectra, absence of the reappearance of surface states suggests a resistance to clustering of the oxynitride layer. The N2 flux and Ar mixture quantity can facilitate tuning of the dissociation characteristics in N2 discharge. By modulating the N2 fractions, the N+ density reaches maximum at a N2/(N2 + Ar) flow-rate ratio of 0.5, resulting in incorporation of more N atoms into the SiON films. Considering the easy control of N2 plasma, our work opens up a new avenue for achieving high-yield SiON films at low temperature.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11375126, 11435009, 11505123), National Magnetic Confinement Fusion Program of China (No. 2014GB106005), a Project funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, a Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China

    Tianyuan Huang, Chenggang Jin, Jun Yu, Yan Yang & Xuemei Wu

  2. Key Lab of Advanced Optical Manufacturing Technologies of Jiangsu Province and Key Lab of Modern Optical Technologies of Education Ministry of China, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China

    Tianyuan Huang, Chenggang Jin, Jun Yu, Yan Yang & Xuemei Wu

  3. Analysis and Testing Center, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China

    Lanjian Zhuge

  4. International Center for Applied Mechanics, State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China

    Chenggang Jin & Zhendong Sha

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  1. Tianyuan Huang
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  2. Chenggang Jin
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  3. Jun Yu
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  4. Yan Yang
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Correspondence to Chenggang Jin.

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Huang, T., Jin, C., Yu, J. et al. One-Step Synthesis of Silicon Oxynitride Films Using a Steady-State and High-Flux Helicon-Wave Excited Nitrogen Plasma. Plasma Chem Plasma Process 37, 1237–1247 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-017-9822-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11090-017-9822-x

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