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In Situ Diagnostics of Methane/Hydrogen Plasma Interactions with Si(100)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

H. L. Duan  and
Stacey F. Bent
H. L. Duan
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
Stacey F. Bent
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
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Abstract

Methane/hydrogen plasmas have been reported to be sources both for a-C:H film deposition and for compound semiconductor etching. In this work, an in situ diagnostic study of methane/hydrogen plasma interactions with a silicon surface is carried out, focusing on the effect of hydrogen dilution. A remote electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma using a H2/Ar mixture excites methane gas near a Si(l 00) substrate. In situ multiple internal reflection Fourier transform infrared (MIR-FTIR) spectroscopy is used to probe the surface species at different hydrogen dilution ratios. We find that at low methane pressure without hydrogen dilution, a-C:H films are deposited. With H2 dilution, the results suggests that some sputter/etching of the silicon surface occurs. Hence, methyl groups are identified as potential etchants for silicon materials. The data suggest that there is a competition between etching and deposition chemistry which depends strongly upon the methane pressure and hydrogen ratio in the plasma.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 569: Symposium U – In Situ Process Diagnostics and Modelling , 1999 , 179
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

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References

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