Low Energy Nitrogen Implantation into Silicon: Its Material Composition, Oxidation Resistance, and Electrical Characteristics

Abstract

An ion milling system was used to implant low energy nitrogen into an Si surface. The material composition and Si‒N bonding of the film after various annealing conditions were investigated using grazing angle backscattering and infrared transmission spectroscopy. The ratio of Si to N was about 1 in the as‐implanted films. After thermal annealing, the film composition changed and approached that of a stoichiometric nitride. Oxidation resistance of the film in wet and dry ambients was studied. Examination of the LOCOS profile revealed a marked decrease in the lateral oxidation as compared to the conventional process. The film exhibited insulating characteristics after 4 hr annealing at 900°C in nitrogen.