A MONTE-CARLO SIMULATION OF SILICON-NITRIDE THIN-FILM MICROSTRUCTURE IN ULTRAVIOLET LOCALIZED-CHEMICAL VAPOR-DEPOSITION

Microstructural changes of surfaces and bulk of a SiN:H were investiga ted at the atomic level by a simulator. The simulator is based on a so lid-on-solid type model for ultraviolet localized-chemical vapor depos ition. The calculations consider the well-defined photolysis products adsorbed at atomic sites. Incorporation of main species is enabled by a Monte Carlo-Metropolis simulation technique. Photodeposition rates a re obtained using bond dissociation energies. In this manner, the depe ndence of root-mean-square deviation of surface roughness and bulk por osity on operating conditions can be predicted. Photonucleation and ph otodeposition with a UV low pressure mercury lamp at low pressure and temperature were simulated onto indium phosphide substrate. Copyright (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.