INTERACTION OF HYDROGENATED SILICON-NITRIDE FILMS WITH INDIUM TIN OXIDE

The whitening mechanism of hydrogenated silicon nitride (SiN(x):H) fil m deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) film was investigated by means o f optical emission spectroscopy (OES), scanning electron microscopy (S EM) and X-ray photoelectron spectrosscopy (XPS) analysis. The degree o f whitening of the SiN(x):H film on ITO depends on the deposition cond itions of SiN(x):H, i.e., the SiH4 flow rate and the substrate tempera ture. Reactive species such as SiH(n), decomposed from SiH4 gas, prefe rentially caused the reduction of ITO. This was followed by formation of In metal and a Si-rich porous layer containing SiO2. An abnormal gr owth of SiN(x):H films caused by these successive reactions led to the whitening.