Particle accumulation in a flowing silane discharge

Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.365955· OSTI ID:527969

Jelenkovic, B M; Gallagher, A ^[1]

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1. JILA, University of Colorado and National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440 (United States)

Particle trapping in different areas of a parallel-plate, radio frequency silane discharge, and its effect on plasma optical emission of SiH and H{sub {alpha}}, has been studied under high gas-flow and low power-density conditions, as used for {open_quotes}device-quality{close_quotes} hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) film deposition. The largest density of particles occurs between the electrodes, near the downstream corners of the rectangular electrodes. Particles are trapped in these positions by sheath fields, until reaching sufficient size to escape with the flow. The region of strong particle trapping has an increased intensity of optical emission, with H{sub {alpha}} increased nearly fourfold. Slow oscillatory behavior of particle scattering and discharge emission was observed for pressures near 30 Pa. Power deposited in the discharge has also been measured; for a constant rf voltage and gas-flow speed it changes weakly with pressure, with the maximum at {approximately}40 Pa. Combined with film growth-rate measurements, this yields a discharge energy deposition of {approximately}17 eV per deposited Si atom. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 527969
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 82; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
EMISSION SPECTRA
HIGH-FREQUENCY DISCHARGES
HYDROGEN
PARTICULATES
PLASMA
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA IMPURITIES
SILANES
SILICON
SILICON COMPOUNDS
THIN FILMS
TRAPPING