Positron annihilation spectroscopy was used to study films which had been grown by means of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and annealed at various temperatures. In the case of both Si-rich and N-rich films, the positron line-shape parameter increased during annealing (700 to 800C, 0.25h). This was explained by suggesting that the removal of H by annealing led to the creation of unpassivated Si dangling bond sites and vacancy complexes. Annealing at higher temperatures led to a reduction in the S-parameter. This was consistent with the assumption that the further removal of H tended to produce unpassivated N-sites.

D.Landheer, G.C.Aers, G.I.Sproule, D.W.Lawther, P.J.Simpson, G.R.Massoumi, S.Y.Tong: Journal of Applied Physics, 1996, 79[5], 2458-62