Deposition of SiNx thin film using mu-SLAN surface wave plasma source

A slot antenna (mu-SLAN) microwave surface wave plasma source was developed for SiNx thin film preparation. A mu-SLAN produced argon plasma density up to 10(11) cm(-3) has been achieved at an axial position of about 43 cm fro m the ring cavity at a microwave power of 500 W and a chamber pressure of 0 .5 Torr. High-speed deposition of SiNx thin nlm was performed using the mu- SLAN-assisted remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method incor porating tris(dimethylamino)silane (TDMAS) as a monomer source. The film de position rate increased rapidly up to 270 nm/min when some hydrogen was mix ed in the nitrogen gas and increased from 0 to 1%. A further increase of hy drogen content, however, only slightly increased the film deposition rate. A high deposition rate of 280 nm/min was obtained when 15% hydrogen was mix ed in the nitrogen gas, with the chamber pressure and microwave power at 1. 5 Torr and 500 W, respectively.