We have developed a novel remote plasma enhanced chemical vapour depos
ition (RPECVD) process for the deposition of SiNx:H films from hexamet
hylcyclotrisilazane [SiNH(CH3)(2)](3) in which not all gases are plasm
a excited. The films grown in this manner do not have any carbon-bonde
d species. The films contain hydrogen in N-H bonds only. The hydrogen
evolution kinetics was studied. It was shown that tile rate of dehydro
genation does not depend on the film thickness and depends only on the
initial concentration of bonded hydrogen in the film. It was establis
hed that the dissociation of N-H bonds is the limiting stage of the de
hydrogenation process. An activation energy equal to 60 kJ mol(-1) was
determined. This value is lower than the energy of dissociation of N-
H bonds. It indicates that the hydrogen evolution process is governed
by a cooperative phenomenon proceeding in the network.