Nitridation of sputtered silicon dioxide films

It is shown that nitridation of sputtered oxide by reactive sputtering can give a hardened oxide-silicon interface with reduced interface states generation after stress. SIMS analysis has confirmed the existence of SiN peak close to the oxide/silicon interface. A stacked SiO/sub 2//SiO/sub x/N/sub y/ structure is discussed relative to charge trapping, leakage current and mid-gap voltage shift.