A new fabrication method for low stress PECVD - SiNx layers

Abstract

This paper presents a new method of depositing low stress silicon nitride (SiNx) with high deposition rate using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) system (STS, Multiplex Pro-CVD). By increasing the operating power of the PECVD system at the high frequency mode (13.56MHz), the deposition rate also increases while that the level of intrinsic stress within the SiNx film decreases. The relationships between some of the key deposition parameters of the experiment such as chamber pressure, silane (SiH4), ammonia (NH3) and nitrogen (N2) flow rates and the two important response variables namely the level of intrinsic stress and deposition rate are established within this investigation. © 2006 IOP Publishing Ltd.