Real Time Spectroscopic Ellipsometry of Amorphous Silicon Grown at High Deposition Rates by Hot-Wire CVD

2002 ◽  
Vol 715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent P. Nelson ◽  
Dean H. Levi
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Deposition Rate ◽  
Spectroscopic Ellipsometry ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Early Time ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
General Tendency ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Deposition Rates

AbstractWe use real-time spectroscopic ellipsometry (RTSE) for in-situ characterization of the optical properties and surface roughness (Rs) of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) grown by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) with varying deposition rates (5 to 120 Å/s). Early time evolution of the Rs during growth is remarkably similar for all deposition rates. During the first few Ås of growth, there is a sharp increase in Rs as the a-Si:H nucleates in separate islands. This is followed by a reduction of Rs as these areas coalesce into a bulk film, which occurs at an average thickness of 100 Å. After coalescence the Rs rises to a stable value that is dependent upon growth conditions with a general tendency for the Rs to increase with growth rate. However, neither the Rs nor the material electronic properties are unique for a given deposition rate. Films grown under high silane flow and low pressure have a better photoresponse and a lower Rs than films grown at the same deposition rate but with low silane flow and high pressure. We observe a stronger correlation of film properties with Rs than with deposition rate; namely a monotonic decrease in photo-response, and increase in optical gap, with increasing Rs.

Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Grown by Hot-Wire CVD at Deposition Rates up to 1 µm/minute

2000 ◽  
Vol 609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent P. Nelson ◽  
Yueqin Xu ◽  
A. Harv Mahan ◽  
D.L. Williamson ◽  
R.S. Crandal
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Deposition Rate ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Conductivity Ratio ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Single Filament ◽  
Deposition Rates ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTWe grow hydrogenated amorphous-silicon (a-Si:H) by the hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) technique. In our standard tube-reactor we use a single filament, centered 5 cm below the substrate and obtain deposition rates up to 20 Å/s. However, by adding a second filament, and decreasing the filament-to-substrate distance, we are able to grow a-Si:H at deposition rates exceeding 167 Å/s (1 µm/min). We find the deposition rate increases with increasing deposition pressure, silane flow rate, and filament current and decreasing filament-tosubstrate distance. There are significant interactions among these parameters that require optimization to grow films of optimal quality for a desired deposition rate. Using our best conditions, we are able to maintain an AM1.5 photoconductivity-to-dark-conductivity ratio of 105 at deposition rates up to 130 Å/s, beyond which the conductivity ratio decreases. Other electronic properties decrease more rapidly with increasing deposition rate, including the ambipolar diffusion length, Urbach energy, and the as-grown defect density. Measurements of void density by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) reveal an increase by well over an order of magnitude when going from one to two filaments. However, both Raman and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements show no change in film structure with increasing deposition rates up to 144 Å/s, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals little change in topology.

Hot-Wire Deposited Amorphous Silicon Thin-Film Transistors

1996 ◽  
Vol 424 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. I. Schropp ◽  
K. F. Feenstra ◽  
C. H. M. Van Der Werf ◽  
J. Holleman ◽  
H. Meiling
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Thin Film Transistors ◽  
Gate Dielectric ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Current Crowding ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Saturation Regime ◽  
Silicon Thin Film ◽  
Order Of Magnitude

AbstractWe present the first thin film transistors (TFTs) incorporating a low hydrogen content (5 - 9 at.-%) amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layer deposited by the Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition (HWCVD) technique. This demonstrates the possibility of utilizing this material in devices. The deposition rate by Hot-Wire CVD is an order of magnitude higher than by Plasma Enhanced CVD. The switching ratio for TFTs based on HWCVD a-Si:H is better than 5 orders of magnitude. The field-effect mobility as determined from the saturation regime of the transfer characteristics is still quite poor. The interface with the gate dielectric needs further optimization. Current crowding effects, however, could be completely eliminated by a H2 plasma treatment of the HW-deposited intrinsic layer. In contrast to the PECVD reference device, the HWCVD device appears to be almost unsensitive to bias voltage stressing. This shows that HW-deposited material might be an approach to much more stable devices.

Single Wafer Amorphous Silicon Process Evaluation

1997 ◽  
Vol 467 ◽  
Author(s):  
David O'Meara ◽  
Chow Ling Chang ◽  
Roc Blumenthal ◽  
Rama I. Hegde ◽  
Lata Prabhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Surface Morphology ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Deposition Rate ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Degree Of Crystallinity ◽  
Deposition Parameters ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Production Requirement

ABSTRACTSingle wafer amorphous silicon deposition was characterized through process modeling and film characterization for application in semiconductor production. DOE methodology was used to determine the main deposition parameters, and the responses were limited to device production requirement properties of surface roughness, deposition rate and degree of crystallinity of the as-deposited film. The data trends and models show that deposition temperature and silane flow are the main factors. Increasing either or both factor increases the deposition rate and the surface roughness. The surface morphology, evaluated by AFM, SEM and TEM, was found to be rougher at extreme growth conditions than the poly crystalline film formed after anneal. The as-deposited surface morphology was not a result of pre-anneal crystal formations as determined by TEM cross sections of samples before and after anneal. Lack of crystalinity is important for impurity diffusion considerations. Device application of the single wafer a-Si process will be a compromise between growth rate (and associated throughput) and surface roughness that can be tolerated.

The Effect of Plasma Power on the Properties of Amorphous Silicon-Germanium Thin Films

2011 ◽  
Vol 317-319 ◽  
pp. 341-344
Author(s):  
Long Gu ◽  
Hui Dong Yang ◽  
Bo Huang
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Deposition Rate ◽  
Silicon Germanium ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Plasma Power ◽  
Glass Substrates ◽  
Frequency Plasma ◽  
Amorphous Silicon Germanium

Amorphous Silicon-germanium films were prepared by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD) on glass substrates. The structural characteristics, deposition rate, photosensitivity, and optical band gap of the silicon-germanium thin films were investigated with plasma power varying from 15W to 45W. The deposition rate increased within a certain range of plasma power. With the plasma power increasing, the photosensitivity of the thin films decreased. It is evident that varying the plasma power changes the deposition rate, photosensitivity, which was fundamentally crucial for the fabrication of a-Si/a-SiGe/a-SiGe stacked solar cells. For our deposition system, the most optimization value was 30-35W.

Evolution of Crystallinity in Mixed-Phase (a+μc)-Si:H as Determined by Real Time Spectroscopic Ellipsometry

2003 ◽  
Vol 762 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Ferlauto ◽  
G. M. Ferreira ◽  
R.J. Koval ◽  
J.M. Pearce ◽  
C.R. Wronski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Spectroscopic Ellipsometry ◽  
Vapor Deposition ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Cone Angle ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Mixed Phase ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Nucleation Density ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon

AbstractThe ability to characterize the phase of the intrinsic (i) layers incorporated into amorphous silicon [a-Si:H] and microcrystalline silicon [μc-Si:H] thin film solar cells is critically important for cell optimization. In our research, a new method has been developed to extract the thickness evolution of the μc-Si:H volume fraction in mixed phase amorphous + microcrystalline silicon [(a+μc)-Si:H] i-layers. This method is based on real time spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements performed during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of the films. In the analysis, the thickness at which crystallites first nucleate from the a-Si:H phase can be estimated, as well as the nucleation density and microcrystallite cone angle. The results correlate well with structural and solar cell measurements.

Hot-Wire Deposited Amorphous Silicon Thin-Film Transistors

1996 ◽  
Vol 420 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. I. Schropp ◽  
K. F. Feenstra ◽  
C. H. M. Van Der Werf ◽  
J. Holleman ◽  
H. Meiling
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Thin Film Transistors ◽  
Gate Dielectric ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Current Crowding ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Saturation Regime ◽  
Silicon Thin Film ◽  
Order Of Magnitude

AbstractWe present the first thin film transistors (TFTs) incorporating a low hydrogen content (5 - 9 at.-%) amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) layer deposited by the Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition (HWCVD) technique. This demonstrates the possibility of utilizing this material in devices. The deposition rate by Hot-Wire CVD is an order of magnitude higher than by Plasma Enhanced CVD. The switching ratio for TFTs based on HWCVD a-Si:H is better than 5 orders of magnitude. The field-effect mobility as determined from the saturation regime of the transfer characteristics is still quite poor. The interface with the gate dielectric needs further optimization. Current crowding effects, however, could be completely eliminated by a H2 plasma treatment of the HW-deposited intrinsic layer. In contrast to the PECVD reference device, the HWCVD device appears to be almost unsensitive to bias voltage stressing. This shows that HW-deposited material might be an approach to much more stable devices.

Deposition of amorphous silicon films by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition

1999 ◽  
Vol 85 (9) ◽  
pp. 6843-6852 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. F. Feenstra ◽  
R. E. I. Schropp ◽  
W. F. Van der Weg
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Vapor Deposition ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Vapor Deposition ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Silicon Films ◽  
Hot Wire
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