McMaster University DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (2017) Hamilton, Ontario
(Engineering Physics)
TITLE: Luminescent Silicon Carbonitride Thin Films Grown
using ECR PECVD: Fabrication and Characterization
AUTHOR: Zahra Khatami , M.A.Sc. (Shahid Behehsti University)
SUPERVISOR: Professor Peter Mascher
NUMBER OF PAGES: xx, 268 / Silicon, the cornerstone semiconductor of microelectronics, has seen growing interest
as a low-cost material in photonics. Nanoscience has employed various strategies to
overcome its fundamentally inefficient visible light emission such as developing new
silicon-based nanostructures and materials. Each of the proposed materials has its
own advantages and disadvantages in attempting to reach commercialization. Silicon
carbonitride (SiCxNy) is a less-studied and multi-functional material with tunable
optical features. Despite reports on promising mechanical properties of SiCxNy thin
films, they have not yet been well explored optically. This thesis presents the first in-depth analysis of the luminescent properties of
SiCxNy thin films at a broad range of compositions and temperatures. To better understand
this ternary structure, the reported data of the two fairly well studied binary
structures was used as a reference. Therefore, three classes of silicon-based materials
were produced and explored; SiCxNy, SiNx, and SiCx. Samples were fabricated using
one of the common methods in the semiconductor industry; electron cyclotron resonance
plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (ECR PECVD). A multitude of
characterization techniques were utilized including; optical methods (ultraviolet-visible
spectroscopy (UVVIS), variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE), photoluminescence
(PL)) and structural techniques (elastic recoil detection (ERD), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier
transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy
(HR-TEM)).
In view of the exploring of emission properties of SiCxNy materials, our approach
was towards the enhancement of the visible emission by adjusting the film composition
and subsequent thermal treatment. First, a systematic study of the influence of
carbon on the optical, compositional, and structural properties of SiCxNy was carried
out. This investigation was followed by an exploration of influence of growth conditions
on the visible emission and its connection with the other film properties including
hydrogen concentration, microstructure, and composition. In addition, hydrogen
diffusion was explored and associated with two featured annealing temperatures.
The key element of this thesis is the comprehensive report on the interdependency
of the visible light emission and all optical, structural, and compositional features of
SiCxNy structures. Unlocking the potential of this ternary and less studied material
can appeal to the silicon photonics community to implement it in anti-reflection,
solar cell, and sensing applications, and in particular as a substitution of SiNx used
in existing microelectronic devices. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/23486 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Khatami, Zahra |
| Contributors | Mascher, Peter, Engineering Physics |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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