On the nitridation of silicon by low energy nitrogen bombardment

High-resolution Rutherford backscattering and channeling has been used to s tudy the formation of surface nitrides during room temperature bombardment of silicon with nitrogen in a secondary ion mass spectrometry system. Sligh tly N-rich silicon nitride is formed at angles of incidence (to the surface normal) <27 degrees. Nitrogen buildup profile exhibits several intense osc illations before reaching a constant level. Implanted metals were found to show little tendency for segregation under nitrogen bombardment even when a silicon nitride layer forms at the surface. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(98)04235-1].