C-V, DLTS and conductance transient characterization of SiNx : H/InP interface improved by N-2 remote plasma cleaning of the InP surface

Electrical characterization of Al/SiNx : H/InP structures shows that ECR ni trogen plasma cleaning of InP surfaces gives rise to a noticeable improveme nt in the interface quality, whereas insulator and semiconductor bulk prope rties are maintained at a level sufficient to be used as the gate dielectri c in MIS devices. Nitrogen plasma exposure was carried out just before the SiNx plasma deposition without vacuum breaking. To obtain interface state d ensity and to detect deep levels in the semiconductor bulk, deep level tran sient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements were carried out. We have also evalu ated the insulator damage density, the so-called disorder-induced gap state s (DIGS), by means of conductance transient analysis. Our results show that the plasma exposure in N-2 atmospheres is a valuable and simple surface co nditioning method. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.