About cookies on this site Our websites require some cookies to function properly (required). In addition, other cookies may be used with your consent to analyze site usage, improve the user experience and for advertising. For more information, please review your options. By visiting our website, you agree to our processing of information as described in IBM’sprivacy statement. To provide a smooth navigation, your cookie preferences will be shared across the IBM web domains listed here.
Publication
Applied Physics Letters
Paper
Photodarkening and bleaching in amorphous silicon nitride
Abstract
UV-induced enhancement of the subgap optical absorption has been observed in thin films of chemically vapor deposited silicon nitride. The threshold for this process is ∼4 eV. Visible light bleaches out much of the enhanced absorption and 200-400°C thermal anneals remove the rest, leaving the optical properties of the nitride in the "as-grown" state. The characteristics of this creation and bleaching process suggest that UV light "optically dethermalizes" the distribution of carriers in localized band tail states. Correlation of our data with recent electron spin resonance results suggests that many of the trapped carriers may be singly occupied silicon dangling bonds.