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The Effect of Hydrogen Dilution on the Hot-Wire Deposition of Microcrystalline Silicon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

H. N. Wanka ,
R. Zedlitz ,
M. Heintze  and
M. B. Schubert
H. N. Wanka
Affiliation:
Univ. Stuttgart, Inst. f. Physikalische Elektronik, Pfaffenwaldring 47, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
R. Zedlitz
Affiliation:
Univ. Stuttgart, Inst. f. Physikalische Elektronik, Pfaffenwaldring 47, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
M. Heintze
Affiliation:
Univ. Stuttgart, Inst. f. Physikalische Elektronik, Pfaffenwaldring 47, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
M. B. Schubert
Affiliation:
Univ. Stuttgart, Inst. f. Physikalische Elektronik, Pfaffenwaldring 47, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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Abstract

The growth of amorphous (a-Si:H) and microcrystalline (pc-Si) silicon by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) has been studied by combining in-situ ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Raman spectroscopy. Generally a dense nucleation layer is formed during a-Si:H HWCVD, containing nuclei about 0.8 nm high and 10 to 20 nm in diameter. The surface roughness gradually increases with film thickness and settles at a root mean square (RMS) value of 1.6 nm at about 200 nm thickness. For hydrogen dilution at gas flow ratios x=[H2]/[SiH4] of 15 to 120 microcrystalline material was obtained. The grain size and nucleation layer, however, are strongly dependent on x. Low H2 dilution enhances the formation of an amorphous-like interface layer from which the μc-Si:H growth eventually starts. Increasing x promotes the etching of amorphous regions and the surface diffusion of precursors, resulting in larger nuclei. X = 30 yields extended μc-Si nuclei (30 nm height, 90 nm diameter) and a pronounced increase in surface roughness for thicker films, but suppresses the formation of the amorphous-like nucleation layer. A further increase in x remarkably lowers the growth rate, but smoother surfaces at comparable film thickness and larger lateral dimensions of the grains occur. This is interpreted as incipient etching of the crystallites.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 420: Symposium A – Amorphous Silicon Technology-1996 , 1996 , 295
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

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