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Thermodynamic Model of the Role of Hydrogen Dilution in Plasma Deposition of Microcrystalline Silicon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

J Robertson
J Robertson*
Affiliation:
Engineering Dept, Cambridge University, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, [email protected]
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Abstract

Hydrogen dilution is used to promote the nucleation and growth of microcrystalline Si (μc-Si) by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). The free energy of μc-Si and hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is analysed as a function of Si:H composition in order to derive the effect of hydrogen dilution. It is shown that increasing the hydrogen content of the a-SiHx precursor phase increases the relative stability of μc-Si slightly, but strongly increases the driving force for nucleation. The higher stability of μc-Si is the fundamental origin of the higher etch rates of a-Si:H, while surface mobility models do not account for sub-surface nucleation of μc-Si.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 664: Symposium A – Amorphous and Heterogeneous Silicon-Based Films-2001 , 2001 , A1.5
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2001

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References

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