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U.S. Department of Energy
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Diagnostics of glow discharges used to produce hydrogenated amorphous silicon films: Annual subcontract report, 15 April 1986-14 June 1987

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5202744

This report presents results of research done to measure the neutral species produced in silane, silane-hydrogen, disilane, disilane-hydrogen, germane, germane-hydrogen, and silane-germane discharges. Interpretation and modeling of the data in terms of discharge chemistry are also desirable. Mass-spectrometric measurements were made of the stable gases flow through and produced in silane, disilane, and silane-germane discharges. From these observations, the discharge stoichiometry was determined and the reaction pathways that lead to film deposition clarified. The importance of one processing parameter (powerflow) is explained, and a high ratio of germanesilane depletion in mixed-gas discharges is identified. A calculation of radical deposition in pure silane discharges shows the dominance of SiH/sub 3/ deposition at low powers and suggests the reason (surface mobility) why this produced good-quality films. Measurements of postdeposition sputtering of a-Si:H films were important in understanding and modeling the deposition reactions as well as the high-rate deposition method was also developed and studied.

Research Organization:
National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, CO (USA); Colorado Univ., Boulder (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-83CH10093
OSTI ID:
5202744
Report Number(s):
SERI/STR-211-3288; ON: DE88001151
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English