Abstract
The results of a two-dimensional fluid simulator were validated against the experimentally measured electrical properties (power dissipation and discharge current) of SiH4/H2 RF discharges used for the deposition of microcrystalline or amorphous silicon thin films. The use of the typical values for the electron–SiH4 and H2 collision cross sections found in the literature, results in a significant underestimation of the calculated power dissipated in the discharge and an overestimation of the current flow. A study of the main parameters affecting the model results showed that this deviation is mainly due to the H2 ionization rate. An improved calculation of the power dissipated in the discharge was then possible, leading to a significant improvement in the prediction of the deposition rate. This result underlines the importance of H2 chemistry in SiH4/H2 discharges and also indicates that the correct estimation of the discharge electrical properties is a necessary first step in the development of a code for simulating the deposition of silicon films from SiH4/H2 discharges.