• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.52 no.8
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• pp.59-63
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• 2015

This paper discusses the capacitance-voltage method in Metal-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon (MONOS) devices to analyzed the characteristics of the top oxide/nitride, nitride/bottom oxide interface trap distribution. In the CV method, nitride trap density can be calculated based on the program characteristics of the nitride thickness variations. By applying this method, silicon rich nitride device found to have a larger trap density than stoichiometric nitride device. This result is consistent with previous studies. If this comparison analysis can be expected to result in improved reliability of the SONOS flash memory.

• Journal of Information Display
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.109-112
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• 2010

The solid phase compositions and dielectric properties of silicon nitride ($SiN_x$) films prepared using the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique at a low temperature ($200^{\circ}C$) were studied. Controlling the source gas mixing ratio, R = $[N_2]/[SiH_4]$, and the plasma power successfully produced both silicon-rich and nitrogen-rich compositions in the final films. The composition parameter, X, varied from 0.83 to 1.62. Depending on the film composition, the dielectric properties of the $SiN_x$ films also varied substantially. Silicon-rich silicon nitride (SRSN) films were obtained at a low plasma power and a low R. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of these films revealed the existence of nano-sized silicon particles even in the absence of a post-annealing process. Nitrogen-rich silicon nitride (NRSN) films were obtained at a high plasma power and a high R. These films showed a fairly high dielectric constant ($\kappa$ = 7.1) and a suppressed hysteresis window in their capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2012

Electrical properties as a function of composition in silicon nitride ($SiN_x$) films grown at low temperatures ($<200^{\circ}C$) were studied for applications to photonic devices and thin film transistors. Both silicon-rich and nitrogen-rich compositions were successfully produced in final films by controlling the source gas mixing ratio, $R=[(N_2\;or\;NH_3)/SiH_4]$, and the RF plasma power. Depending on the film composition, the dielectric and optical properties of $SiN_x$ films varied substantially. Both the resistivity and breakdown field strength showed the maximum value at the stoichiometric composition (N/Si = 1.33), and degraded as the composition deviated to either side. The electrical properties degraded more rapidly when the composition shifted toward the silicon-rich side than toward the nitrogen-rich side. The composition shift from the silicon-rich side to the nitrogen-rich side accompanied the shift in the photoluminescence characteristic peak to a shorter wavelength, indicating an increase in the band gap. As long as the film composition is close to the stoichiometry, the breakdown field strength and the bulk resistivity showed adequate values for use as a gate dielectric layer down to $150^{\circ}C$ of the process temperature.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.141-141
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• 2010

The effect of thermal anneal on the characteristics of structural properties and the enhancement of luminescence and photovoltaic (PV) characteristics of silicon-rich silicon-nitride films were investigated. By using an ultra high vacuum ion beam sputtering deposition, B-doped silicon-rich silicon-nitride (SRSN) thin films, with excess silicon content of 15 at. %, on P-doped (n-type) Si substrate was fabricated, sputtering a highly B doped Si wafer with a BN chip by N plasma. In order to examine the influence of thermal anneal, films were then annealed at different temperature up to $1100^{\circ}C$ under $N_2$ environment. Raman, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy did not show any reliable evidence of amorphous or crystalline Si clusters allowing us concluding that nearly no Si nano-cluster could be formed through the precipitation of excess Si from SRSN matrix during thermal anneal. Instead, results of Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy clearly indicated that defective, amorphous Si-N matrix of films was changed to be well-ordered thanks to high temperature anneal. The measurement of spectral ellipsometry in UV-visible range was carried out and we found that the optical absorption edge of film was shifted to higher energy as the anneal temperature increased as the results of thermal anneal induced formation of $Si_3N_4$-like matrix. These are consistent with the observation that higher visible photoluminescence, which is likely due to the presence of Si-N bonds, from anneals at higher temperature. Based on these films, PV cells were fabricated by the formation of front/back metal electrodes. For all cells, typical I-V characteristic of p-n diode junction was observed. We also tried to measure PV properties using a solar-simulator and confirmed successful operation of PV devices. Carrier transport mechanism depending on anneal temperature and the implication of PV cells based on SRSN films were also discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2007.08a
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• pp.297-297
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• 2007

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.365-365
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• 2010

In this paper, silicon nitride thin films with different silane and ammonia gas ratios were deposited and characterized for the antireflection and passivation layer of high efficiency single crystalline silicon solar cells. As the flow rate of the ammonia gas increased, the refractive index decreased and the band gap increased. Consequently, the transmittance increased due to the higher band gap and the decrease of the defect states which existed for the 1.68 and 1.80 eV in the SiNx films. The reduction in the carrier lifetime of the SiNx films deposited by using a higher $NH_3/SiH_4$ flow ratio was caused by the increase of the interface traps and the defect states in/on the interface between the SiNx and the silicon wafer. The silicon and nitrogen rich films are not suitable for generating both higher carrier lifetimes and transmittance. These results indicate that the band gap and the defect states of the SiNx films should be carefully controlled in order to obtain the maximum efficiency for c-Si solar cells.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.31-35
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• 2003

We present a formation technique of thin film heater for heat transfer components. Thin film structures of Cr-Si have been prepared on top of alumina substrates by magnetron sputtering. More samples of Mo thin films were prepared on silicon oxide and silicon nitride substrates by electron beam evaporation technology. The electrical properties of the thin film structures were measured up to the temperature of $500^{\circ}C$. The thickness of the thin films was ranged to about 1 um, and a post annealing up to $900^{\circ}C$ was carried out to achieve more reliable film structures. In measurements of temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR), chrome-rich films show the metallic properties; whereas silicon-rich films do the semiconductor properties. Optimal composition between Cr and Si was obtained as 1 : 2, and there is 20% change or less of surface resistance from room temperature to $500^{\circ}C$. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) were used for the material analysis of the thin films.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.08a
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• pp.729-732
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• 2006

The effect of stress match between silicon nitride ($SiN_2$) and hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layers on the electrical characteristics of thin-film transistors (TFTs) has been investigated. The result shows that modifying the deposition conditions of a Si:H and $SiN_2$ thin films can reduce the stress mismatch at a-Si:H/SiNx interface. Moreover, for best a-Si:H TFT characteristics, the internal stress of gate $SiN_2$ layer with slightly nitrogen-rich should be matched with that of a-Si:H channel layer. The ON current, field-effect mobility, and stability of TFTs can be enhanced by controlling the stress match between a-Si:H and gate insulator. The improvement of these characteristics appears to be due to both the decrease of the interface state density between the a-Si:H and SiNx layer, and the good dielectric quality of the bottom nitride layer.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.1051-1054
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• 2009

This paper investigates approaches for improving effective mobility of organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). We consider gate dielectric optimization, whereby we demonstrated >2x increase in mobility by using a silicon-rich silicon nitride ($SiN_x$) gate dielectric for polythiophene-based (PQT) OTFTs. We also engineer the dielectric-semiconductor ($SiN_x$-PQT) interface to attain a 27x increase in mobility (up to 0.22 $cm^2$/V-s) using an optimized combination of oxygen plasma and OTS SAM treatments. Augmentative material systems by combining 1-D nanomaterials (e.g., carbon nanotubes, zinc oxide nanowires) in an organic matrix for nanocomposite OTFTs provided a further boost in device performance.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.606-610
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• 2010

Films consisting of a silicon quantum dot superlattice were fabricated by alternating deposition of silicon rich silicon nitride and $Si_3N_4$ layers using an rf magnetron co-sputtering system. In order to use the silicon quantum dot super lattice structure for third generation multi junction solar cell applications, it is important to control the dot size. Moreover, silicon quantum dots have to be in a regularly spaced array in the dielectric matrix material for in order to allow for effective carrier transport. In this study, therefore, we fabricated silicon quantum dot superlattice films under various conditions and investigated crystallization behavior of the silicon quantum dot super lattice structure. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra showed an increased intensity of the $840\;cm^{-1}$ peak with increasing annealing temperature due to the increase in the number of Si-N bonds. A more conspicuous characteristic of this process is the increased intensity of the $1100\;cm^{-1}$ peak. This peak was attributed to annealing induced reordering in the films that led to increased Si-$N_4$ bonding. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that peak position was shifted to higher bonding energy as silicon 2p bonding energy changed. This transition is related to the formation of silicon quantum dots. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis also confirmed the formation of silicon quantum dots. This study revealed that post annealing at $1100^{\circ}C$ for at least one hour is necessary to precipitate the silicon quantum dots in the $SiN_x$ matrix.