Development of a low pressure microwave excited plasma and its application to the formation of microcrystalline silicon films

Journal Article · Wed Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.2357958· OSTI ID:20853801

Kikukawa, Daisuke; Hori, Masaru; Honma, Koichiro; Yamamoto, Masahiro; Goto, Toshio; Takahashi, Shunji; Den, Shoji ^[1]

---

1. Department of Quantum Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603 (Japan)

Microwave excited plasma source operating at a low pressure of 1.5 Pa was newly developed. This plasma source was successfully applied to the formation of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon films in a glass substrate with a mixture gas of silane (SiH{sub 4}), hydrogen (H{sub 2}), and xenon (Xe). It was found that the crystallinity of films was dramatically improved with decreasing pressure. The crystalline fraction was evaluated to be 82% at a substrate temperature of 400 deg. C, a mixture gas of SiH{sub 4}/H{sub 2}/Xe: 5/200/30 SCCM, and a total pressure of 1.5 Pa by Raman spectroscopy. The absolute density of hydrogen atoms and the behavior of higher radicals and molecules in the mixture gas were evaluated using vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy and quadrupole mass spectrometer, respectively. H atom densities were of the order of 10{sup 11} cm{sup -3}. The fraction of H atom density increased, while higher radicals and molecules decreased with decrease in the total pressure. The increase in H atom density and decrease in higher radicals and molecules improved the crystallinity of films in low pressures below 10 Pa.

• OSTI ID: 20853801
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 24; ISSN 1553-1813
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ATOMS
DENSITY
HYDROGEN
MASS SPECTROMETERS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
MIXTURES
MOLECULES
PLASMA
RADICALS
RAMAN SPECTRA
RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILANES
SILICON
THIN FILMS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA
XENON