A Comparative Study on the Precursors for the Atomic Layer Deposition of Silicon Nitride Thin Films

Silicon nitride thin films were deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique in a batch-type reactor by alternating exposures of precursors. XJAKO200414714156408$_4$ or$ SiH_2$$Cl_2$ was used as the Si precursor, $NH_3$ was used as the N precursor, and the deposited films were characterized comparatively. The thickness of the film linearly increased with the number of deposition cycles, so that the thickness of the film can be precisely controlled by adjusting the number of cycles. As compared with the deposition using$ SiCl_4$, the deposition using $SiH_2$$Cl_2$ exhibited larger deposition rate at lower precursor exposures, and the deposited films using $SiH_2$$Cl_2$ had lower wet etch rate in a diluted HF solution. Silicon nitride films with the Si:N ratio of approximately 1:1 were obtained using either Si precursors at $500^{\circ}C$, however, the films deposited using $SiH_2$$Cl_2$ exhibited higher concentration of H as compared with those of the $SiC_4$ case. Silicon nitride thin films deposited by ALD showed similar physical properties, such as composition or integrity, with the silicon nitride films deposited by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition, lowering deposition temperature by more than $200^{\circ}C$.

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