Electrical transients in the ion-beam-induced nitridation of silicon

Abstract

We have studied the dynamics of the initial stages of silicon nitride formation on siliconsurfaces under nitrogen beam bombardment in the secondary ion mass spectrometry apparatus. We have shown that the secondary ion signal exhibits damped oscillations below the critical impact angle for nitride formation. We have described this oscillatory response by a second-order differential equation and argued that it is initiated by some fluctuations in film thickness followed by the fluctuations in surface charging. Show more