T Moiseev et al 2009 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 42 072003 doi:10.1088/0022-3727/42/7/072003
T Moiseev1, D Chrastina1, G Isella1 and C Cavallotti2
Show affiliationsThe presence of excited radicals in plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition silane processes leads to overestimation of radical densities in threshold ionization mass spectrometry analysis. A method to discriminate the signal due to excited radicals is proposed and applied to estimate the relative density trends of the ground-state silane radicals (SiHx, x < 4) with hydrogen input flow rates (0–50 sccm) in an argon–silane–hydrogen plasma at total pressures of 0.01–0.04 mbar used for the deposition of nano-crystalline silicon (nc-Si) layers for photovoltaic applications. The SiHx/SiH4 density trends with hydrogen input show a turning point where SiH becomes dominant, in the process region where nc-Si layers were previously obtained.
82.33.Ya Chemistry of MOCVD and other vapor deposition methods
82.33.Xj Plasma reactions (including flowing afterglow and electric discharges)
82.30.Cf Atom and radical reactions; chain reactions; molecule-molecule reactions
81.15.Gh Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced CVD, MOCVD, etc.)
Issue 7 (7 April 2009)
Received 28 November 2008, in final form 19 January 2009
Published 13 March 2009
T Moiseev et al 2009 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 42 072003
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