SOME PROPERTIES OF VAPOR DEPOSITED SILICON NITRIDE FILMS OBTAINED BY REACTION OF SIBR4 AND NH3

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reaction of SiBr//4 vapor and NH//3 at different temperatures in a forming gas atmosphere with a view to obtaining silicon nitride films of the following characteristics-films useful as diffusion masks against gallium at 800 C for 16 hr, films easily etchable in buffered HF, and films of low tensile stress or possibly compressive stress. Silicon nitride films, readily etchable in buffered HF and usable as diffusion masks at 800 C for gallium, were deposited by the SiBr//4 and NH//3 reaction at 800 C. The chemical composition of the films(SiBr//4/NH//3 equal to 1/13) is nearer to Si(NH)//2 than to Si//3N//4. It has not been possible to decrease the very high stress in the films either by decreasing the temperature or by changing the SiBr//4-to- NH//3 ratio.