Degradation by water vapor of hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxynitride films grown at low temperature

We report on the degradation process by water vapor of hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxynitride (SiON:H) films deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition at low temperature. The stability of the films was investigated as a function of the oxygen content and deposition temperature. Degradation by defects such as pinholes was not observed with transmission electron microscopy. However, we observed that SiON:H film degrades by reacting with water vapor through only interstitial paths and nano-defects. To monitor the degradation process, the atomic composition, mass density, and fully oxidized thickness were measured by using high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and X-ray reflectometry. The film rapidly degraded above an oxygen composition of similar to 27 at%, below a deposition temperature of similar to 150 degrees C, and below an mass density of similar to 2.15 g/cm(3). This trend can be explained by the extents of porosity and percolation channel based on the ring model of the network structure. In the case of a high oxygen composition or low temperature, the SiON: H film becomes more porous because the film consists of network channels of rings with a low energy barrier.