Method for forming a multiple layer passivation film and a device incorporating the same
View Patent ↗A method of forming a multiple layer passivation film on a semiconductor device surface comprises placing a semiconductor device in a chemical vapor deposition reactor, introducing a nitrogen source into the reactor, introducing a carbon source into the reactor, depositing a layer of carbon nitrogen on the semiconductor device surface, introducing a silicon source into the reactor after the carbon source, and depositing a layer of silicon carbon nitrogen on the carbon nitrogen layer. A semiconductor device incorporating the multiple layer passivation film is also described.
1. A semiconductor device comprising:
a substrate;
a p-type semiconductor material;
an intrinsic semiconductor material;
an n-type semiconductor material;
metal contacts in electrical contact with the p-type semiconductor material and the n-type semiconductor material; and
a multiple layer passivation film over the intrinsic semiconductor material, the multiple layer passivation film comprising silicon, carbon and nitrogen, and further comprising an interfacial layer containing nitrogen and a cover layer containing silicon and nitrogen.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the interfacial layer contains carbon and nitrogen and the cover layer contains silicon, carbon and nitrogen.
3. The device of claim 2 , in which the carbon in the interfacial layer prevents reactive species released from the silicon source from causing defects in the semiconductor device.
4. The device of claim 3 , in which the cover layer comprises an approximately 10-30 nanometer thick layer of silicon carbon nitrogen.
5. The device of claim 3 , in which the cover layer comprises an approximately 100-200 nanometer thick environmentally robust layer of silicon carbon nitrogen.
6. The device of claim 5 , further comprising an approximately 100-200 nanometer thick non-porous layer of silicon carbide over the cover layer.