My understanding is that  nitrides oxidize on the surface when exposed to air,
since oxidation is energetically more favorable than nitridation.

Some years ago I worked with an LPCVD  boron nitride process.  I had numerous
samples of this material analyzed by both XPS and Auger.  The result was
always high oxygen contact near the surface, with negligable oxygen in the
bulk.  I would be surprised if similar oxidation wasn't present on the surface
of silicon nitride.

Roger Shile

>>> [email protected] 06/06/02 09:02AM >>>
Not very much oxide growth on top of nitride unless you deposit via pecvd.
Bob Henderson
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