Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 February 2011
A mechanistic study of the deposition of silicon oxide films (SiOx, 0 < x ≤2) from silanes with nitrous oxide was performed. The depositions of non-stoichiometric films from silane and stoichiometric silicon dioxide from disilane were dominated by SiH2 generation from the decomposition of the silicon-containing reactant. The depositions of stoichiometric films from silane were found to follow chain reaction kinetics initiated by the homogeneous decomposition of N2O.