Visualizing the evolution of surface morphology and surface bond strain during plasma deposition of amorphous silicon thin films

• Published in: IEEE transactions on plasma science Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 228 - 229
• Main Authors: Valipa, M.S., Aydil, E.S., Maroudas, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.04.2005; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Amorphous silicon; Atomic layer deposition; Atomic measurements; Bonding; Capacitive sensors; Diffusion; Evolution; Hyrdrogenated amorphous silicon thin films; molecular dynamics; Morphology; Plasma; plasma CVD; Plasma deposition; Plasma devices; Precursors; Radicals; Semiconductor thin films; Silicon; Sputtering; Surface morphology; surface reactors; surface strain; Thin films; Visualization
• DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2005.845000
• ISSN: 0093-3813

Fundamental understanding of atomic-scale processes that determine the surface morphology of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films during plasma deposition is essential to develop systematic strategies for depositing smooth device-quality a-Si:H films. We have developed visualization tools for monitoring the evolution of surface morphology, atomic coordination, and bond strain distribution during radical precursor migration on a-Si:H surfaces; these tools are used here to study the mechanisms of SiH/sub 3/ diffusion on the a-Si:H surface and elucidate valley-filling phenomena leading to smooth a-Si:H films. We present surface characterization results during a radical migration trajectory representative of the early stage of plasma deposition: the SiH/sub 3/ precursor is impinged on a hill and migrates until it is incorporated into a nearby valley on the a-Si:H surface.