Azotek krzemu stosowany w technologii planarnych fotodiod wykonanych na bazie InP

Przeprowadzono badania warstw azotku krzemu osadzonych na płytkach z fosforku indu metodą PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Yapor Deposition) z wykorzystaniem do wytwarzania plazmy dwóch generatorów pracujących na różnych częstotliwościach. Celem badań było ustalenie warunków wytwarzania warstw azotku krzemu stosowanych w technologii planarnych fotodiod wykonanych na bazie InP, w których obszarem absorpcyjnym są studnie kwantowe z InxGa1-xAs. Warstwy azotku krzemu były osadzane w temperaturach pomiędzy 250°C i 300°C. Podstawą do oceny wytworzonych warstw były wyniki badań: ich składu chemicznego, struktury, współczynnika załamania, poziomu naprężeń, rezystywności, wytrzymałości dielektrycznej, stałej dielektrycznej i efektywnej gęstości powierzchniowej ładunków elektrycznych. Stwierdzono, że warstwy osadzane w temperaturze 250°C mają najlepszą strukturę, dobrze spełniają rolę maski w procesie selektywnej dyfuzji cynku, a właściwości elektryczne umożliwiają wykorzystanie ich do pasywacji powierzchni bocznych złącz p-n, pod warunkiem zastosowania odpowiedniego cyklu wygrzewań po procesie osadzania.

Silicon nitride films, deposited on InP wafers by the PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) method, have been investigated in terms of their applicability in the technology of InP based planar photodiodes with the InxGa1-xAs quantum well absorption region. In order to compensate the mechanical stress in the films, the plasma was excited by two radio-frequency sources operating at frequencies of 13,56 MHz and 100 kHz. The films were deposited at different temperatures in the range of 250 - 300°C. The chemical composition of all examined films, determined by the RBS (Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry) method, is very close to that of stoichiometric Si3N4. The films contain a large amount of hydrogen. The hydrogen content, evaluated by the NRA (Nuclear Reactions Analysis) technique, exceeds 30 %. The silicon nitride films deposited at 300°C have grown much faster on InP wafers than on Si wafers placed beside these and the structure of both films is different. As the films deposited on Si are amorphous with smooth surfaces, the films deposited on InP are heterogeneous with rough surfaces. These last ones exhibit lower Si-N bond concentration, lower refractive index, higher extinction coefficient, lower resistivity and lower dielectric breakdown strength than the films deposited on silicon. Deterioration of the film quality is caused probably by the reaction of phosphorus, released from the InP substrate at the beginning of the deposition process, with deposited SiNx:H. Such films should not be used in the fabrication of InP based planar photodiodes. When the deposition temperature decreases, the properties of silicon nitride films improve. Their structure becomes more homogeneous and the Si-N bond concentration increases. The silicon nitride films deposited on InP at 250°C have the same amorphous structure and the same Si-N bond concentration, determined from FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) absorption characteristics, as the films deposited on silicon. They exhibit the highest refractive index, the lowest extinction coefficient, the highest resistivity and the highest dielectric breakdown strength. These films are continuous, they do not crack during thermal processes and they can be applied as masking layers for the selective Zn diffusion used to form the p-n junctions. Unfortunately the films deposited at 250°C have the highest hydrogen content and the highest effective charge density. These films cannot be applied directly to passivate the p-n junction side surfaces. Measurements of hydrogen depth profiles and of FTIR absorption characteristics have revealed that the amount of hydrogen and of Si-N, Si-H and N-H bonds changed during annealing. An analysis of C-V characteristics of Al/Si3N4:H/InP MIS capacitors containing these films has shown, that annealing of the Si3N4:H films reduced the electronic defect state density at the Si3N4:H/InP interface. It is possible to take advantage of the thermal instability of silicon nitrides deposited by the PECVD method and to reduce the trap state density and the effective charge density by proper annealing processes. These investigations have enabled us to achieve reverse current values as low as 4 - 15 pA at the voltage of - 5 V and 200 - 500 pA at the voltage of -50 V for planar InP diodes with the 320 um diameter p-n junction. A high yield of 90 % is obtained. These results make a good base for development of planar photodiodes with InxGa1-xAs quantum wells inserted into the depletion region of the InP p-n junction.