Deep‐level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) has been employed to measure interface state density, ( D it ) at the interface of plasma chemical vapor‐deposited silicon nitride ( SiN x ) and a silicon‐substrate interface, using metal‐insulator‐semiconductor (MIS) diodes. The DLTS signal‐height increases with increasing emission pulse voltage in the negative direction. This finding is remarkable, especially for the silicon‐rich SiN x film, This is equivalent to a capacitance‐voltage hysteresis effect in the MIS diodes. The three major DLTS signals originating from the interface states are observed for each case of silicon‐rich, stoichiometric, and silicon‐poor SiN x films, It is shown that the electrons trapped at the interface states are emitted with several emission time constants. The minimum D it , 5 × 10 11 cm − 2 eV − 1 , at the midgap, is obtained for a N/Si atomic ratio of near‐stoichiometric composition, A decrease in excess silicon and nitrogen atoms is effective for the reduction of D it .
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Sanjoh et al. (1990) studied this question.