PROPERTIES OF A-SINX-H FILMS DEPOSITED AT ROOM-TEMPERATURE BY THE ELECTRON-CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE PLASMA METHOD

a-SiNx:H films with a wide composition range (0.27 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 1.38), and some of them with low oxygen con tent, have been deposited at room temperature by the electron cyclotro n resonance plasma deposition method. Auger electron spectroscopy, inf rared absorption, and transmittance and reflectance of the films in th e ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared range are reported. Three differen t types of film are obtained: silicon rich, near stoichiometric and ox ygen contaminated. At x= 1.00, the hydrogen content, calculated from t he infrared spectra, is a minimum (about 10 at.%), the N-H bond densit y becomes higher than the Si-H density, and the slope of the Tauc plot (B) and the Urbach tail (E(u)), obtained from absorption coefficient results, reach minimum and maximum values, respectively. Hydrogen inco rporation into the network is found to be related to that of nitrogen. A relationship between the hydrogen content and the optical propertie s of the films is deduced by comparing the results with those publishe d in the literature using other plasma deposition methods. The whole s et of measurements performed reveals that the properties of the films deposited at room temperature are similar to those obtained at higher temperatures by other plasma methods, and differ only in the slightly higher hydrogen content. Oxygen incorporation into the films is found to increase the structural order of the silicon nitride network, as ev idenced by the decrease in E,and increase in B, even for the low oxyge n content (always between 3 and 7 at.%) in the films.