The effect of stresses, in Si3N4 films, upon B diffusion was studied. It was noted that during annealing in N, the degree of retardation of B diffusion became larger as the temperature decreased and the thickness of the nitride film increased. On the other hand, B diffusion in Si which was covered with a very thin nitride film was enhanced during long diffusion times at 1014C. These results suggested that nitride films compressed the region near to the substrate surface and altered the vacancy and interstitial concentrations.

K.Osada, Y.Zaitsu, S.Matsumoto, M.Yoshida, E.Arai, T.Abe: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 1995, 142[1], 202-6