Review—Silicon Nitride and Silicon Nitride-Rich Thin Film Technologies: State-of-the-Art Processing Technologies, Properties, and Applications

Abstract

Accelerating interest in silicon nitride thin film material system continues in both academic and industrial communities due to its highly desirable physical, chemical, and electrical properties and the potential to enable new device technologies. As considered here, the silicon nitride material system encompasses both non-hydrogenated (SiN _x) and hydrogenated (SiN _x:H) silicon nitride, as well as silicon nitride-rich films, defined as SiN _x with C inclusion, in both non-hydrogenated (SiN _x(C)) and hydrogenated (SiN _x:H(C)) forms. Due to the extremely high level of interest in these materials, this article is intended as a follow-up to the authors’ earlier publication [A. E. Kaloyeros, F. A. Jové, J. Goff, B. Arkles, Silicon nitride and silicon nitride-rich thin film technologies: trends in deposition techniques and related applications, ECS J. Solid State Sci. Technol., 6, 691 (2017)] that summarized silicon nitride research and development (R&D) trends through the end of 2016. In this survey, emphasis is placed on cutting-edge achievements and innovations from 2017 through 2019 in Si and N source chemistries, vapor phase growth processes, film properties, and emerging applications, particularly in heterodevice areas including sensors, biointerfaces and photonics.