Silicon nitride

About: Silicon nitride is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 32678 publications have been published within this topic receiving 413599 citations. The topic is also known as: N₄Si₃.

Method to form shallow trench isolations with rounded corners and reduced trench oxide recess

Abstract: A method of fabricating shallow trench isolations has been achieved. A semiconductor substrate is provided. A pad oxide layer is grown overlying the semiconductor substrate. A silicon nitride layer is deposited. The silicon nitride layer and the pad oxide layer are patterned to form a hard mask. The openings in the hard mask correspond to planned trenches in the semiconductor substrate. A silicon dioxide layer is deposited overlying the silicon nitride layer and the semiconductor substrate. The silicon dioxide layer is anisotropically etched to form sidewall spacers on the inside of the openings of the hard mask. The semiconductor substrate is etched to form the trenches. The sidewall spacers are etched away. The semiconductor substrate is sputter etched to round the corners of the trenches. An oxide trench lining layer is grown overlying the semiconductor substrate. A trench fill layer is deposited overlying the silicon nitride layer and filling the trenches. The trench fill layer is polished down to the top surface of the silicon nitride layer. The silicon nitride layer is etched away. The trench fill layer and the pad oxide layer are polished down to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate to complete the shallow trench isolation, and the integrated circuit device is completed.

Selective Laser Ablation of SiNx Layers on Textured Surfaces for Low Temperature Front Side Metallizations

Abstract: For an alternative front side metallization process without screen printing of metal paste the selective opening of the front surface anti-reflection coating could be realized by laser ablation. A successful implementation of this scheme requires direct absorption of the laser light within the anti-reflection coating, since the emitter underneath must not be damaged severely. Additionally, the ablation must be feasible on textured surfaces. In this paper, we show that laser light with a wavelength of 355 nm and a pulse length of approximately 30 ns is absorbed directly by a typical silicon nitride anti-reflection coating. Based on lifetime measurements on ablated samples it is shown that a damage free laser ablation of SiNx layers on planar surfaces is possible. The characteristic ablation structure on textured surfaces is explained and quantified by rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) simulations. Finally, high efficiency solar cells with a standard emitter (Rsh approx. 50 Ω/sq) have been processed using laser ablation of the silicon nitride anti-reflection coating. These cells show efficiencies of up to 19·1%, comparable to the reference solar cells using photolithographically opened contact areas. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Electron paramagnetic resonance investigation of charge trapping centers in amorphous silicon nitride films

Abstract: We have explored the nature of the silicon dangling‐bond center in amorphous hydrogenated silicon nitride (a‐SiNx:H) thin films, and its relationship to the charge trapping centers using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and capacitance‐voltage (C‐V) measurements. We have investigated the quantitative relationship between the concentration of silicon dangling bonds using EPR and the concentration of charge traps, measured by C‐V measurements, for both UV‐illuminated and unilluminated a‐SiNx:H thin films subjected to both electron and hole injection sequences. A theoretical framework for our results is also discussed. These results continue to support a model in which the Si dangling bond is a negative‐U defect in silicon nitride, and that a change in charge state of preexisting positively and negatively charged Si sites is responsible for the trapping phenomena observed in these thin film dielectrics.

Transparent article having protective silicon nitride film

Abstract: Transparent articles comprising transparent, nonmetallic substrate and a transparent film stack is sputter deposited on the substrate. The film stack is characterized by including at least one infrared reflective metal film, a dielectric film over the metal film, and a protective silicon nitride film of 10 Å to 150 Å in thickness over the said dielectric film. The dielectric film desirably has substantially the same index of refraction as does silicon nitride and is contiguous with the silicon nitride film.