Silicon-nitride–gallium-arsenide MIS structures produced by plasma enhanced deposition

Abstract

Plasma enhanced deposited (PED) silicon-nitride films were used for passivating GaAs surfaces. The electrical properties of the metal-insulator–GaAs structures were studied to determine the interfacial characteristics. Both the bulk and the interfacial properties of PED silicon nitride with GaAs were found to be strongly dependent on the growth parameters. The surface state densities could be lowered considerably by treating the GaAs surface in a N2 and H2 plasma prior to the insulator deposition.