Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T09:50:07.340Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy Study of the Growth Mechanism for Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Produced by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

A.J. Flewitt ,
W.I. Milne ,
J. Robertson ,
A.W. Stephenson  and
M.E. Welland
A.J. Flewitt
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 IPZ, U.K.
W.I. Milne
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 IPZ, U.K.
J. Robertson
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 IPZ, U.K.
A.W. Stephenson
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 IPZ, U.K.
M.E. Welland
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 IPZ, U.K.
Get access

Abstract

Thin films of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) have been deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD), and the resulting topography measured in-situ on a nanometre scale using a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM). An island structure is observed on the surface of device quality a-Si:H, which can be quantitatively analysed using a one dimensional Fourier transform of the topography. Results suggest that deposition is limited by the creation of dangling bonds on the a-Si:H surface and not by the surface transport of SiH 3 radicals at the deposition temperature (598 K). Island nucleation takes place through the abstraction of hydrogen atoms from the a-Si:H surface by plasma etching and the subsequent attachment of an SiH 3 radicals to the available sites. A thermally activated hydrogen effusion process around the edge of each island, where the step edge causes a high local hydrogen concentration, then creates further dangling bonds which allow the islands to grow. A simulation has been constructed, which confirms this two stage mechanism.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 507: Symposium A – Amorphous & Microcrystalline Silicon Technology 1998 , 1998 , 571
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1 Herring, C., J. Appl. Phys., 21, 301 (1950).Google Scholar
2 Mullins, W.W., J. Appl. Phys., 30, 77 (1959).Google Scholar
3 Nejoh, H., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 8, 275 (1990).Google Scholar
4 Tanaka, I., Osaka, F., Kato, T., Katayama, Y., Muramatsu, S. and Shimatla, T., Appl. Phys. Lett., 54, 427 (1989).Google Scholar
5 Wiesendanger, R., Rosenthaler, L., Hidber, H. R., Guntheradt, H-J., McKinnon, A. W. and Speare, W. E., J. Appl. Phys., 63, 4515 (1988).Google Scholar
6 Flewitt, A.J., Froggatt, M.W.D., Milne, W.I., Stephenson, A.W. and Welland, M.E., Appl. Phys. A, 66, S1101 (1998).Google Scholar
7 Tong, W.M. and Williams, R.S., Annu. Rev. Phys. Chem., 45, 401, (1994).Google Scholar
8 Ikuta, K., Toyoshima, Y., Yamasaki, S., Matsuda, A. and Tanaka, K., MRS Symp. Proc., 420, 413 (1996).Google Scholar
9 Kondo, M., Ohe, T., Saitoh, K., Nishimiya, T. and Matsuda, A., ICAMS, 17 (1997).Google Scholar
10 Kushner, M. J., J. Appl. Phys., 63, 2532 (1988).Google Scholar
11 Nomura, H., Akimoto, K., Kono, A. and Goto, T., J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 28, 1977 (1995).Google Scholar
12 Shirafuji, T., Tachibana, K. and Matsui, Y., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Pt. 1, 34, 4239 (1995).Google Scholar
13 Beyer, W., Physica B, 170, 105 (1991).Google Scholar
14 Beyer, W., J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 198–200, 40 (1996).Google Scholar
15 Perrin, J., J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 137&138, 639 (1991).Google Scholar
16 Robertson, J. and Powell, M.J., this symposium (1998).Google Scholar