XPS AND FTIR STUDY OF SILICON OXYNITRIDE THIN-FILMS

SiNx, SiOx and SiOxHy deposits containing various hydrogen concentrati ons were prepared in a plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PEC VD) reactor using SiH4, NH3 and N2O as precursor gases. These deposits were made for anti-reflection coatings on polymer substracts. In this work, we present a study of the compositions and the chemical environ ments of silicon, oxygen and nitrogen in these films by using XPS, XAE S and FTIR characterization methods. It is shown that the SiO,N, depos its are constituted by various silicon environments which can be descr ibed by the presence of Si(OxNyHz) tetrahedra with x+y+z=4. The amount of Si-H bonds increases in the deposits when the nitrogen concentrati on increases. Si-OH chemical bonds were detected for low nitrogen conc entration. Published by Elsevier Science Limited.