Silicon Nitride for Microelectronic Applications

The large amount of literature on the technology of thin film silicon nitride indi cates the interest of the Department of Defense, NASA and the semiconductor industry in the development and full utilization of the material. This survey is concerned only with the thin film characteristics and properties of silicon nitride as currently utilized by the semiconductor or microelectronics industry. It also includes the various methods of preparation. Applications in microelectronic devices and circuits are to be provided in Part 2 of the survey. Some bulk silicon nitride property data is included for basic reference and comparison purposes. The survey specifically excludes references and information not within the public domain. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This survey was generated under U.S. Air Force Contract F33615-70-C-1348, with Mr. B.R. Emrich (MAAM) Air Force Materials Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio acting as Project Engineer. The author would like to acknowledge the assis tance of Dr. Judd Q. Bartling, Litton Systems, Inc., Guidance and Control Systems Division, Woodland Hills, California and Dr. Thomas C. Hall, Hughes Aircraft Company, Culver City, California in reviewing the survey. v CONTENTS Preface. i Introduction 1 Literature Review. 1 Bulk Characteristics 1 Technology Overview. 2 References 4 Methods of Preparation • 5 Introduction • 5 Direct Nitridation Method 8 Evaporation Method • 9 Glow Discharge Method. 10 Ion Beam Method. 13 Sputtering Methods 13 Pyrolytic Methods. 15 Silane and Ammonia Reaction 15 Silicon Tetrachloride and Tetrafluoride Reaction. 24 Silane and Hydrazine Reaction 27 Production Operations. 28 Equipment.

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Silicon Nitride for Microelectronic Applications

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Silicon Nitride for Microelectronic Applications

This survey is concerned with the use of silicon nitride in the semi conductor and microelectronics industries. The Handbook of Electronic Materials, volume 3, comprises part 1 of this survey and includes preparation and properties information. This report was prepared by Hughes Aircraft Company, Culver City, California under Contract Number F336lS-70-C-1348. The work was admini stered under the direction of the Air Force Materials Laboratory, Air Force Systems Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, with Hr. B. Emrich, Project Engineer. The Electronic Properties Information Center (EPIC) is a designated Information Analysis Center of the Department of Defense, authorized to pro vide information to the entire DoD community. The purpose of the Center is to provide a highly competent source of information and data on the electronic, optical and magnetic properties of materials of value to the Department of Defense. Its major function is to evaluate, compile and publish the experi mental data from the world's unclassified literature concerned with the properties of materials. All materials relevant to the field of electronics are within the scope of EPIC: insulators, semiconductors, metals, super conductors, ferrites, ferroelectrics, ferromagnetics, electroluminescents, thermionic emitters and optical materials. The Center's scope includes information on over 100 basic properties of materials; information generally regarded as being in the area of devices and/or circuitry is excluded. v CONTENTS Foreword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Diffusion Mask Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . '" 11 Glass-to-Metal Seals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Passivation Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Isolation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Memory Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Capacitors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Radiation Hardening Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . . . . . . . .

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Handbook of Electronic Materials

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Si Silicon

This is the first of three Gmelin Handbook volumes in the silicon se ries that will cover silicon nitride, a normaUy solid material with the idealized formula Si N . This volume, 3 4 "Silicon" Supplement Volume B Sc, is devoted to applications of silicon nitride in microelec tronics and solar ceUs. The compendium is the product of a critical selection among more than 17600 publications on silicon nitride issued up to January 1990. Out of a total of 5900 publications dealing with the fabrication and use of microelectronic devices (including 2400 Japanese patent applications), about 4000 papers have been selected for this volume. The current volume is grouped into three parts. Chapters 2 to 8 deal with general, non specific microelectronic applications of silicon nitride, Chapters 9 to 31 cover applications of silicon nitride in specific devices and device components, and Chapter 32 is devoted exclusively to applications in solar ceUs, including information on our general understanding of the role of silicon nitride in photovoltaic devices. Experimental results on the preparation of silicon nitride layers for application in unspeci fied devices are in Chapter 2. Whenever the preparation is in connection with specific devices, the information is presented in the respective chapters. The general preparation of silicon nitride layers is not covered in this volume, but will appear in "Silicon" Supplement Volume B 5a. See also the Introductory Remarks, Chapter 1, p. 1.

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Proceedings of the Symposium on Silicon Nitride and Silicon Dioxide Thin Insulating Films

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Silicon Nitride Silicon Dioxide and Emerging Dielectrics 10

The issue of ECS Transactions contains papers presented at the Tenth International Symposium on Silicon Nitride, Silicon Dioxide, and Alternate Emerging Dielectrics held in San Francisco on May 24-29, 2009. The papers address a very wide range of fabrication and characterization techniques, and applications of thin dielectric films in microelectronic and optoelectronic devices. More specific topics addressed by the papers include reliability, interface states, gate oxides, passivation, and dielctric breakdown.

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Microcircuit Reliability Bibliography

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Silicon

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Proceedings of the International Microelectronics Symposium

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Proceedings of the 1979 International Microelectronics Symposium November 13 15 1979 Bonaventure Hotel Los Angeles CA

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Handbook of Thin film Deposition Processes and Techniques

The most recent developments and techniques in thin film deposition for high technology applications are described by 23 authorities in the field.

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Microelectronic Applications of Chemical Mechanical Planarization

An authoritative, systematic, and comprehensive description of current CMP technology Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) provides the greatest degree of planarization of any known technique. The current standard for integrated circuit (IC) planarization, CMP is playing an increasingly important role in other related applications such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and computer hard drive manufacturing. This reference focuses on the chemical aspects of the technology and includes contributions from the foremost experts on specific applications. After a detailed overview of the fundamentals and basic science of CMP, Microelectronic Applications of Chemical Mechanical Planarization: * Provides in-depth coverage of a wide range of state-of-the-art technologies and applications * Presents information on new designs, capabilities, and emerging technologies, including topics like CMP with nanomaterials and 3D chips * Discusses different types of CMP tools, pads for IC CMP, modeling, and the applicability of tribometrology to various aspects of CMP * Covers nanotopography, CMP performance and defect profiles, CMP waste treatment, and the chemistry and colloidal properties of the slurries used in CMP * Provides a perspective on the opportunities and challenges of the next fifteen years Complete with case studies, this is a valuable, hands-on resource for professionals, including process engineers, equipment engineers, formulation chemists, IC manufacturers, and others. With systematic organization and questions at the end of each chapter to facilitate learning, it is an ideal introduction to CMP and an excellent text for students in advanced graduate courses that cover CMP or related semiconductor manufacturing processes.

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RCA Review

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Preparation and Properties of Silicon Nitride Based Materials

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Semiconducting Devices

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Laser Applications in Microelectronic and Optoelectronic Manufacturing

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Advances and Applications in the Metallography and Characterization of Materials and Microelectronic Components

Volume 23. Renowned metallographers, metallurgists and materials scientists from 10 countries contributed to these important proceedings. This 316-page resource features a guide through the intricacies of tailoring microstructures in silicon nitride ceramics to make them more reliable when used as engineering components. Furthermore, in an overview of phase transformations and their metallography, there's a detailed explanation of shape memory alloy effects. Contents include: Behavior of Nonmetallic Materials and Devices, Behavior of Nonferrous Metals, Failure Analysis of Microelectronic Packages and Devices, Structure/Property Relationships for Iron and Steel, Steel Failure at High Temperatures, Sample Preparation for Metallography and Other Purposes, Applied Microscopy and Image Analysis, Behavior in Novel Applications, and Microelectronic Characterization.

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Thermophysical Properties of Selected Aerospace Materials

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Mass and Charge Transport in Ceramics

Contains 46 selected papers presented at a workshop held in March 1996. The papers discuss mass and charge phenomena, such as grain growth, grain-boundary movement, segregation, phase transition, liquid-phase formation, and high-temperature corrosion. These phenomena must be understood in order to m

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