Formation of Silicon Nitride Film by Plasma Decomposition of Methylsilazane

Si 3 N 4 thin films were deposited on silicon wafer or α-Al 2 O 3 wafer substrates from methylsilazane in a microwave nitrogen-hydrogen-mixture plasma at substrate temperatures or 590 to 1000 K. The deposits were identified by IR spectroscopy and XPS as approximately stoichiometric Si 3 N 4 , and they contained small amounts of impurities. Decomposition or the methylsilazane in the plasma may be one of the reasons for the lower deposition temperature of the Si 3 N 4