Compositional Analysis of Thick Silicon Nitride Films Using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

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This paper presents inline and offline X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data of thick SiN films prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) techniques. The inline XPS monitors the stoichiometry of the film surface, while offline XPS is used to understand the entire thick film composition and Si/SiNx interface. For a complete compositional analysis, the XPS depth profile and detailed core-level spectra analysis are conducted for annealed and unannealed wafers. Finally, the XPS thickness is confirmed from cross-section images.