Optical properties of reactively sputtered silicon nitride films

SiNsub(x) films (x ranging between 0.1 and 1.4) have been deposited by dc reactive magnetron sputtering from a silicon target in nitrogen/argon atmospheres. The dispersion curves of the refractive index and the absorption coefficient have been determined in the 0.5-2.5 μm wavelength range from transmittance and reflectance measurements at different angles. A strong correlation is observed between the above optical constants and the compositional analysis of the films. (author)