A study of Si nucleation and deposition on SiO2 was performed using disilane and hydrogen in an ultra high vacuum rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition reactor in pressure and temperature ranges of 0.1 – 1.5 Torr and 625 – 750°C. The film analysis was carried out using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. At lower pressures, an incubation time exists which leads to a retardation in film nucleation. At 750°C, the incubation time is 10s at 0.1 Torr and decreases to less than Is at 1.5 Torr. The nuclei grow and form three dimensional islands on S1O2, and as they coalesce, result in a rough surface morphology. At higher pressures, the inherent selectivity is lost resulting in a higher nucleation density and smoother surface morphology. For ˜ 2000 Å thick films, the root-mean-square surface roughness at 750ÅC ranges from 110Å at 0.1 Torr to 40Å at 1.5 Torr. Temperature also strongly influences the film structure through surface mobility and grain growth. At 1 Torr, the roughness ranges from 3Å at 625°C to 60Å at 750°C. The grain structure at 625°C/1Torr appears to be amorphous, whereas at 750°C the structure is columnar. The growth rate at 625°C/1.5 Torr is 1200 Å/min provides a surface roughness on the order of atomic dimensions which is comparable to or better than amorphous silicon deposited in LPCVD furnaces.
Modeling and Model Reduction for Control and Optimization of Epitaxial Growth in a Commercial Rapid Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition Reactor
