Atomistic comparative study of VUV photodeposited silicon nitride on InP(1 0 0) by simulation and atomic force microscopy: discrete representation and topological analysis

Surface atomistic structures of a-SiN:H vacuum ultra violet (VUV) photodeposited on InP(1 0 0) have been investigated by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and index of refraction (RI). After simultaneous VUV irradiation (185 nm) and heating (400–650 K), the onset of nucleation shown SiN:H islands on the InP substrate prior to the deposition stage. We have proposed a new photodeposition model taking into account the molecular dynamics (MD) of the adsorbed species imposed to a Monte Carlo (MC) computation technique. Features estimated or obtained through experimental validation are emphasized. This allows the evaluation of both the simulator and physical model. Also deposition kinetics, in addition to surface and bulk features, are clearly evidenced and simulated in 3-D images. To this end, we developed analytical tools to exactly track discrete boundaries of the deposition bulk and pores from simulation data, in the form of voxels for each site of the face centered cubic (fcc) referential. These tools use a discrete-topology approach to isolate, count and measure individual pores, as well as the top surface features. Discrete neighborhoods in the fcc referential are also considered in the framework of the mathematical morphology in order to correctly measure discrete approximations of Euclidean surface and other morphological parameters. These tools helped to quantify the simulator results, in order to compare them with experimental data and also validate the physical model. 3-D visualization of surfaces and pores further aided us to see in an organized fashion the output of the simulator, e.g. by sorting pore features by size, or location in the bulk.