FTIR analysis of microwave-excited pecvd silicon nitride layers

Andrés Cuevas; Florence Chen; Jason Tan; Helmut Mäckel; Saul Winderbaum; Kristin Roth

doi:10.1109/WCPEC.2006.279365

FTIR analysis of microwave-excited pecvd silicon nitride layers

Andrés Cuevas^*, Florence Chen, Jason Tan, Helmut Mäckel, Saul Winderbaum, Kristin Roth

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper presents infrared absorption (FTIR) measurements of SiN layers and correlates them to their ability to passivate silicon wafer surfaces. The best passivation was obtained for films having a nitrogen to silicon atomic composition in the proximity of N/Si=1.2, together with a high concentration of Si-N bonds (approximately 1×10²³ cm^-3) and a refractive index in the vicinity of n=2. The total hydrogen concentration in these films remained practically unchanged after a high temperature firing cycle, which indicates a good thermal stability. In contrast, silicon rich layers (higher refractive index and lower Si-N bond density) suffered a large reduction in the total hydrogen content. These results support the suggestion by ECN researchers that the Si-N bond concentration can be a good indicator of the ultimate electronic impact of the SiN layers.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4
Publisher	IEEE Computer Society
Pages	1148-1151
Number of pages	4
ISBN (Print)	1424400163, 9781424400164
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.2006.279365
Publication status	Published - 2006
Event	2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4 - Waikoloa, HI, United States Duration: 7 May 2006 → 12 May 2006

Publication series

Name	Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4
Volume	1

Conference

Conference	2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4
Country/Territory	United States
City	Waikoloa, HI
Period	7/05/06 → 12/05/06

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10.1109/WCPEC.2006.279365

Cite this

Cuevas, A., Chen, F., Tan, J., Mäckel, H., Winderbaum, S., & Roth, K. (2006). FTIR analysis of microwave-excited pecvd silicon nitride layers. In Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4 (pp. 1148-1151). Article 4059838 (Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4; Vol. 1). IEEE Computer Society. https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.2006.279365

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title = "FTIR analysis of microwave-excited pecvd silicon nitride layers",

abstract = "This paper presents infrared absorption (FTIR) measurements of SiN layers and correlates them to their ability to passivate silicon wafer surfaces. The best passivation was obtained for films having a nitrogen to silicon atomic composition in the proximity of N/Si=1.2, together with a high concentration of Si-N bonds (approximately 1×1023 cm-3) and a refractive index in the vicinity of n=2. The total hydrogen concentration in these films remained practically unchanged after a high temperature firing cycle, which indicates a good thermal stability. In contrast, silicon rich layers (higher refractive index and lower Si-N bond density) suffered a large reduction in the total hydrogen content. These results support the suggestion by ECN researchers that the Si-N bond concentration can be a good indicator of the ultimate electronic impact of the SiN layers.",

author = "Andr{\'e}s Cuevas and Florence Chen and Jason Tan and Helmut M{\"a}ckel and Saul Winderbaum and Kristin Roth",

year = "2006",

doi = "10.1109/WCPEC.2006.279365",

language = "English",

isbn = "1424400163",

series = "Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4",

publisher = "IEEE Computer Society",

pages = "1148--1151",

booktitle = "Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4",

address = "United States",

note = "2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4 ; Conference date: 07-05-2006 Through 12-05-2006",

}

Cuevas, A, Chen, F, Tan, J, Mäckel, H, Winderbaum, S & Roth, K 2006, FTIR analysis of microwave-excited pecvd silicon nitride layers. in Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4., 4059838, Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4, vol. 1, IEEE Computer Society, pp. 1148-1151, 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4, Waikoloa, HI, United States, 7/05/06. https://doi.org/10.1109/WCPEC.2006.279365

FTIR analysis of microwave-excited pecvd silicon nitride layers. / Cuevas, Andrés; Chen, Florence; Tan, Jason et al.
Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4. IEEE Computer Society, 2006. p. 1148-1151 4059838 (Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4; Vol. 1).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - FTIR analysis of microwave-excited pecvd silicon nitride layers

AU - Cuevas, Andrés

AU - Chen, Florence

AU - Tan, Jason

AU - Mäckel, Helmut

AU - Winderbaum, Saul

AU - Roth, Kristin

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - This paper presents infrared absorption (FTIR) measurements of SiN layers and correlates them to their ability to passivate silicon wafer surfaces. The best passivation was obtained for films having a nitrogen to silicon atomic composition in the proximity of N/Si=1.2, together with a high concentration of Si-N bonds (approximately 1×1023 cm-3) and a refractive index in the vicinity of n=2. The total hydrogen concentration in these films remained practically unchanged after a high temperature firing cycle, which indicates a good thermal stability. In contrast, silicon rich layers (higher refractive index and lower Si-N bond density) suffered a large reduction in the total hydrogen content. These results support the suggestion by ECN researchers that the Si-N bond concentration can be a good indicator of the ultimate electronic impact of the SiN layers.

AB - This paper presents infrared absorption (FTIR) measurements of SiN layers and correlates them to their ability to passivate silicon wafer surfaces. The best passivation was obtained for films having a nitrogen to silicon atomic composition in the proximity of N/Si=1.2, together with a high concentration of Si-N bonds (approximately 1×1023 cm-3) and a refractive index in the vicinity of n=2. The total hydrogen concentration in these films remained practically unchanged after a high temperature firing cycle, which indicates a good thermal stability. In contrast, silicon rich layers (higher refractive index and lower Si-N bond density) suffered a large reduction in the total hydrogen content. These results support the suggestion by ECN researchers that the Si-N bond concentration can be a good indicator of the ultimate electronic impact of the SiN layers.

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U2 - 10.1109/WCPEC.2006.279365

DO - 10.1109/WCPEC.2006.279365

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 1424400163

SN - 9781424400164

T3 - Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4

SP - 1148

EP - 1151

BT - Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4

PB - IEEE Computer Society

T2 - 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4

Y2 - 7 May 2006 through 12 May 2006

ER -

Cuevas A, Chen F, Tan J, Mäckel H, Winderbaum S, Roth K. FTIR analysis of microwave-excited pecvd silicon nitride layers. In Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4. IEEE Computer Society. 2006. p. 1148-1151. 4059838. (Conference Record of the 2006 IEEE 4th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC-4). doi: 10.1109/WCPEC.2006.279365

FTIR analysis of microwave-excited pecvd silicon nitride layers

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