Low temperature magnetron sputter deposition of polycrystalline silicon thin films using high flux ion bombardment

Journal Article · Thu Mar 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2710301· OSTI ID:20982754

Gerbi, Jennifer E; Abelson, John R ^[1]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1304 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

We demonstrate that the microstructure of polycrystalline silicon thin films depends strongly on the flux of low energy ions that bombard the growth surface during magnetron sputter deposition. The deposition system is equipped with external electromagnetic coils which, through the unbalanced magnetron effect, provide direct control of the ion flux independent of the ion energy. We report the influence of low energy (<27 eV) Ar{sup +} on the low temperature (<450 degree sign C) growth of polycrystalline silicon thin films onto amorphous substrates. We use spectroscopic ellipsometry, Raman scattering, x-ray diffraction, and cross sectional transmission electron microscopy to analyze the film microstructure. We demonstrate that increasing the flux ratio of Ar{sup +} ions to silicon neutrals (J{sup +}/J{sup 0}) during growth by an order of magnitude (from 3 to 30) enables the direct nucleation of polycrystalline Si on glass and SiO{sub 2} coated Si at temperatures below 400 degree sign C. We discuss possible mechanisms for this enhancement of crystalline microstructure, including the roles of enhanced adatom mobility and the formation of shallow, mobile defects.

• OSTI ID: 20982754
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 101, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2710301; (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ARGON IONS
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DEPOSITION
ELLIPSOMETRY
EV RANGE 10-100
ION BEAMS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NUCLEATION
POLYCRYSTALS
RAMAN EFFECT
RAMAN SPECTRA
SILICON
SILICON OXIDES
SPUTTERING
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION