Evaluation of Si3N4/Si interface by UV Raman spectroscopy

The stresses at Si3N4/Si (1 0 0), (1 1 1) and (1 1 0) interfaces were measured by UV Raman spectroscopy with a 364 nm excitation laser whose penetration depth into the Si substrate was estimated to be 5 nm. The Si3N4 films were formed on Si (1 0 0), (1 1 1) and (1 1 0) using nitrogen–hydrogen (NH) radicals produced in microwave-excited high-density Xe/NH3 mixture plasma. The localized stress detected from Raman peak shift was compressive at the (1 0 0) interface, and tensile at the (1 1 1) and (1 1 0) interfaces. The results showed that stress had strong correlation with the total density of subnitrides at the Si3N4/Si interface, and also with the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of Si the 2p3/2 photoemission spectrum arising from the substrate. We believe that the localized stress affected subnitride formation because the amount of subnitride and the FWHM of Si 2p3/2 decreased while the interface stress shifted in the tensile direction.