TRAPPING LEVELS IN SILICON-SILICON NITRIDE SYSTEM

The silicon—silicon nitride system has been examined using thermally stimulated current (TSC) techniques. The nitride was found to contain electron traps at between 0.50 and 0.90 eV below the bottom of the conduction band. A distribution of traps at or near the Si—Si3N4 interface and about 0.10 eV below the conduction band of the silicon was found. The TSC spectra clearly showed the dependence of the trap occupancy and trap structure upon applied electric field and temperature. Electron microscope and X‐ray work indicated that the nitride layers were not truly amorphous but contained very small crystalline areas. Copyright © 1969 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim