Excimer laser-induced deposition of silicon nitride thin films

Silicon nitride films have been prepared by excimer laser photolysis of ammonia/silane or ammonia/disilane mixtures at temperatures in the range 225–625 °C in a hot-walled low-pressure reactor. The highest-quality films, deposited at 225 °C, have high breakdown-field strength, Ebd=8.8 Mv cm−1, low midgap interface-state-trap densities, Nit=1.7×1011 eV−1 cm−2, and a dielectric constant of ε=4.8.