Abstract
Chemical bonding structures of nitrogen within very thin oxynitride films on Si(100) have been investigated by high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. The oxynitride films nitrided by the rapid thermal process with NO and are systematically compared. Two distinct N components are resolved for both films with a binding-energy difference of ∼0.61 eV, which are assigned to the N atoms at the interfaces and those in the matrix. Both components are unambiguously attributed to represent a like chemical configuration with three nearest-neighbor Si atoms. The energy shift of 0.61 eV between these components is thought be due to the second-nearest-neighbor effect combined with core-hole screening. The difference between - and NO-nitrided films and the interface suboxide species identified by Si core levels are discussed.
- Received 31 July 2001
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.66.035312
©2002 American Physical Society