The Formation and Behavior of Particles in Silane Discharges

Published

May 1, 1999

Author(s)

Alan Gallagher

Abstract

Particle growth in silane RF discharges and the incorporation of particles into hydrogenated-amorphous-silicon (a-Si: H) devices is described. Measurements of particle density and growth in a silane RF plasma, for particle diameters of 8-50 nm, are described. A decrease in particle density during the growth indicates a major flux of these size particles to the substrate. Particle densites are a very strong function of pressure, film growth rate and electrode gap, increasing orders of magnitude for small increases in each parameter. A full plasma-chemistry model for particle growth from SiH_m radicals and ions has been developed, and is outlined. It yields particle densities and growth rates, as a function of plasma parameters which are in qualitative agreement with the data. It also indicates that, in addition to the diameter >2 nm particles that have been observed in films, a very large flux of Si_xH_m molecular radicals with x > 1 also incorporate into the film. It appears that these large radicals yield more than 1% of the film for typical device-depostion conditions, so this may have a serious effect on device properties.

Proceedings Title

Proceedings of the Second International Conference on the Physics of Dusty Plasmas

Volume

557

Conference Dates

May 24-28, 1999

Conference Location

Hotel Kowaki - en Hakone, JA

Conference Title

Frontiers in Dusty Plasmas

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

particles, silane

Citation

Gallagher, A. (1999), The Formation and Behavior of Particles in Silane Discharges, Proceedings of the Second International Conference on the Physics of Dusty Plasmas, Hotel Kowaki - en Hakone, JA (Accessed March 13, 2025)