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

>>> BobHendu@aol.com 06/06/02 09:02AM >>>
Not very much oxide growth on top of nitride unless you deposit via pecvd.
Bob Henderson
_______________________________________________
MEMS-talk@memsnet.org mailing list: to unsubscribe or change your list
options, visit http://mail.mems-exchange.org/mailman/listinfo/mems-talk
Hosted by the MEMS Exchange, providers of MEMS processing services.
Visit us at http://www.memsnet.org/

"This email and any attachments may contain information that is confidential
and proprietary information of Veeco Instruments Inc. and are intended only
for the use of the addressee. Unauthorized use, distribution or copying is
forbidden. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender
immediately by return email and delete all copies of this message and any
attachments from your computer. Thank you."