The effect of rapid thermal annealing upon the properties of films was studied. The films were deposited, at room temperature, from N2, O2 and SiH4 gas mixtures, by using electron cyclotron resonance techniques. The films were characterized by means of Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. According to the Fourier transform infra-red data, the oxide films exhibited a continuous stress relaxation for annealing temperatures of between 600 and 1000C. The properties of the films which were annealed at 900 to 1000C were comparable to those of thermally grown ones. The density of defects went through a minimum value for annealing temperatures of about 300 to 400C. This was tentatively attributed to passivation of the well-known E' centre Si dangling bonds, due to the formation of Si-H bonds. A very low density (5 x 1016/cm3) of defects was observed over the entire annealing temperature range.

Rapid Thermal Annealing Effects on the Structural Properties and Density of Defects in SiO2 and SiNx:H Films Deposited by Electron Cyclotron Resonance. E.San Andrés, A.Del Prado, F.L.Martínez, I.Mártil, D.Bravo, F.J.López: Journal of Applied Physics, 2000, 87[3], 1187-92