Silicon nitride films were chemically deposited on silicon substrates by reacting SiCl$_{4}$ and NH$_{3}$ in a nitrogen atmosphere at 700~1100 .deg.C. The deposition rate increased rapidly with deposition temperature upto about 1000 .deg.C, and became less temperature dependent above this temperature. The etch rate of films in buffered HF solution decreased, with an increase of deposition temperature, and a heat treatment at a temperature higher than that of the deposition considerably reduced the etch rate. It indicates that the heat treatment resulted in a densification of the films. Surface charge density of 3~4 * 10$^{11}$ /cm$^{2}$ was determined from the C-V characteristics of MNS diode, and it was also found that surface charge density depended on deposition temperature, but not film thickness. The current-voltage characteristics displayed a logI-V$^{1}$2/ dependence in the temperature range of 300~500.deg.K. Measurement of the slope of this characteristics and its dependence on temperature and bias polarity suggest that conduction in sili con nitride films arises from the Poole-Frenkel mechanism.