DEPOSITION OF SiNx THIN FILMS BY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE GLOW DISCHARGE PLASMAS

Abstract

SiNx thin films have been deposited by using glow discharge with He/SiCl₄/N₂/H₂ and He/SiCl₄/NH₃ gas systems under atmospheric pressure. With the He/SiCl₄/N₂/H₂ system, the SiNx films were obtained at 40°C which have as good quality as the that of those obtained in low pressure glow discharge. In the case of He/SiCl₄/NH₃ gas system, we got films of the same quality with lower temperature about 25°C in that of the He/SiCl₄/N₂/H₂ system. Because NH₃ (N-H bonds) has the lower bond strength than N₂(N-N bond) and H₂(H-H bond), NH₃ is easily dissociated to make NH and H radicals in plasma and easily abstracts the Cl atoms 2 from SiCl₄. That is the reason why attained the lower temperature deposition could be in the containing NH₃ gas system.