Characterization of Si-N films prepared by reactive ion beam sputtering

Application of silicon-nitride (Si-N) as a passivant in com-pound semiconductor technology requires a low-temperature deposition process to prevent dissociation of the volatile constituents of the semiconductor. With this in mind, an exploratory study of Si-N films prepared at room temperature using low-energy, reactive ion-beam sputtering has been carried out. The electrical and optical characteristics of the films have been studied, and an annealing step is found necessary to reduce the conductivity of the nitride and im-prove the interfacial properties.