Electrical behavior of MIS devices based on Si nanoclusters embedded in SiO(x)N(y )and SiO(2 )films

We examined and compared the electrical properties of silica (SiO(2)) and silicon oxynitride (SiO(x)N(y)) layers embedding silicon nanoclusters (Sinc) integrated in metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices. The technique used for the deposition of such layers is the reactive magnetron sputtering of a pure SiO(2 )target under a mixture of hydrogen/argon plasma in which nitrogen is incorporated in the case of SiO(x)N(y )layer. Al/SiO(x)N(y)-Sinc/p-Si and Al/SiO(2)-Sinc/p-Si devices were fabricated and electrically characterized. Results showed a high rectification ratio (>10(4)) for the SiO(x)N(y)-based device and a resistive behavior when nitrogen was not incorporating (SiO(2)-based device). For rectifier devices, the ideality factor depends on the SiO(x)N(y )layer thickness. The conduction mechanisms of both MIS diode structures were studied by analyzing thermal and bias dependences of the carriers transport in relation with the nitrogen content.