Cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence study of trap centers in amorphous silicon oxynitride

Amorphous silicon oxynitride (a-SiO_xN_y) films with different compositions were prepared using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) technique, The cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence of this samples were measured from the red band to the ultraviolet band to study the trap centers in silicon oxynitride. A 1.8-1.9 eV band was found and is attributed to the oxygen and nitrogen atoms with unpaired electrons whereas the 2.7 eV band is attributed to two-fold coordinated silicon atoms with two electrons. The 5.4 eV shoulder is due to the peroxy radicals and other ultraviolet bands are supposed to due due to the Si-Si bonds