Low-temperature nitridation of silicon surface using NH3-decomposed species in a catalytic chemical vapor deposition system

This letter reports a procedure for low-temperature nitridation of silicon surfaces using species produced by NH3 catalytic decomposition on heated tungsten in a catalytic chemical Vapor deposition system. The surface of Si(100) was nitrided at temperatures as low as 200 degrees C. Silicon oxinitride films are obtained with a stoichiometry Si:N:O = 1:0.9:0.3, a maximum thickness as high as 4.8 nm and an electrical breakdown field of 6 MV/cm. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.