Microstructural properties of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited WNx films using WF6-H2-N2 precursor system

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Abstract

A WF6-H2-N2 precursor system was used for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of WNx films. We examined the microstructural changes of the WNx films depending on N2/H2 flow-rate ratio and post-annealing (600-800 °C for 1 h). As the N2/H2 flow rate was increased from 0 to 1.5, as-deposited WNx films exhibited various different crystalline states, such as nanocrystalline and/or amorphous structure comprising W, WN, and W2N phases, a fine W2N granular structure embedded in an amorphous matrix, and a crystalline structure of β-W2N phase. After post-annealing above 600 °C, crystalline recovery with phase separation to β-W2N and α-W was observed from the WNx films deposited at an optimized deposition condition (flow-rate ratio = 0.25). From this PECVD method, an excellent step coverage of ∼90% was obtained from the WNx films at a contact diameter of 0.4 μm and an aspect ratio of 3.5.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)426-433
Number of pages8
JournalCurrent Applied Physics
Volume7
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2007

Keywords

  • PECVD
  • Phase
  • Thin film
  • WN

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