scholarly journals Film growth precursors in a remote SiH[sub 4] plasma used for high-rate deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon

2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2153 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. M. M. Kessels ◽  
M. C. M. van de Sanden ◽  
D. C. Schram
2003 ◽  
Vol 762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guofu Hou ◽  
Xinhua Geng ◽  
Xiaodan Zhang ◽  
Ying Zhao ◽  
Junming Xue ◽  
...  

AbstractHigh rate deposition of high quality and stable hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films were performed near the threshold of amorphous to microcrystalline phase transition using a very high frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (VHF-PECVD) method. The effect of hydrogen dilution on optic-electronic and structural properties of these films was investigated by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman scattering and constant photocurrent method (CPM). Experiment showed that although the phase transition was much influenced by hydrogen dilution, it also strongly depended on substrate temperature, working pressure and plasma power. With optimized condition high quality and high stable a-Si:H films, which exhibit σph/σd of 4.4×106 and deposition rate of 28.8Å/s, have been obtained.


1993 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hitoshi Nishio ◽  
Gautam Ganguly ◽  
Akihisa Matsuda

We present a method to reduce the defect density in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) deposited at low substrate temperatures similar to those used for device fabrication . Film-growth precursors are energized by a heated mesh to enhance their surface diffusion coefficient and this enables them to saturate more surface dangling bonds.


1999 ◽  
Vol 557 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. D. Webb ◽  
L. M. Gedvilas ◽  
R. S. Crandall ◽  
E. Iwaniczko ◽  
B. P. Nelson ◽  
...  

AbstractWe used polarized attenuated total reflection (ATR) measurements together with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to investigate the vibrational spectra of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-SiHx) films 0.5-1.0 microns in thickness. We deposited the films using hot-wire or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition methods (HWCVD or PECVD, respectively) on crystalline silicon and cadmium telluride substrates. Our ATR technique gave a spectral range from 2100-400 cm-1, although the Si-H wagging mode absorption band at 640 cm-1 was somewhat distorted in the a-SiHx/Si samples by impurity and lattice absorption in the silicon ATR substrates. We report the identification of a Si-O-C impurity band with maximum intensity at 1240-1230 cm-1. The assignment of this band to a Si-O-C vibration is supported by secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements. Our polarized FTIR-ATR spectra of HWCVD and PECVD a-SiHx films on <111> Si ATR substrates show that the impurity dipoles are oriented strongly parallel to the film growth direction. The wagging mode absorbance band is more intense in the film plane. This trend is less pronounced for the Si-H stretching vibrations. These observations are consistent with some degree of anisotropy or medium-range order in the films. The anisotropy in the Si-H bands may be related to residual stress in the films. Our scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses of the samples offer additional evidence of bulk structural anisotropy in the a-SiHx/Si films. However, the Si-O-C impurity band was not observed in the polarized ATR-FTIR spectra of the a-SiHx/CdTe samples, thus indicating that the Si substrates influence formation of the impurity in the a-SiHx/Si films.


1996 ◽  
Vol 420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Y. M. Chan ◽  
Y. W. Lam ◽  
Y. C. Chan ◽  
S. H. Lin ◽  
X. Y. Lin ◽  
...  

AbstractHigh rate deposition of a-Si:H films has become one of the key techniques for low-cost, large-scale production of thin film devices. Hydrogenated amorphous silicon films were fabricated with a thermocatalytic PCVD method of which the deposition rate was up to 1.5 nm/sec. The Heterojunction Monitored Capacitance method was employed to determine the midgap-state densities in the undoped semiconductor film from high frequency C-V characteristics. Experimental results showed that the thermocatalytic PCVD method is an effective way to produce high-rate deposited a-Si:H films.


2004 ◽  
Vol 808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eray S. Aydil ◽  
Sumit Agarwal ◽  
Mayur Valipa ◽  
Saravanapriyan Sriraman ◽  
Dimitrios Maroudas

ABSTRACTHydrogenated amorphous silicon films for photovoltaics and thin film transistors are deposited from silane containing discharges. The radicals generated in the plasma such as SiH3 and H impinge on the surface and lead to silicon film growth through a complex network of elementary surface processes that include adsorption, abstraction, insertion and diffusion of various radicals. Mechanism and kinetics of these reactions determine the film composition and quality. Developing deposition strategies for improving the film quality requires a fundamental understanding of the radical-surface interaction mechanisms. We have been using in situ multiple total internal reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry in conjunction with atomistic simulations to determine the elementary surface reaction and diffusion mechanisms. Synergistic use of experiments and atomistic simulations elucidate elementary processes occurring on the surface. Herein, we review our current understanding of the reaction mechanisms that lead to a-Si:H film growth with special emphasis on the reactions of the SiH3 radical.


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