Abstract
The microelectronics industry has been concerned about the loss of product yield in its semiconductor wafer processing steps from killer defects caused by the presence and deposition of contaminant particles. Reactant gases used in plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) can form nanometer sized particles from homogeneous nucleation. Once the particles grow to a few nanometers, they become negatively charged due to the collected ion and electron currents on the particle surface. A gradient of the electron and ion concentration between the sheath and bulk plasma causes an electric field to develop directed to the walls. Contaminant particles can eventually become trapped in electrostatic potential wells due to the higher charge density of positive ions near the powered electrode. The traps fill in the plasma sheath region until some particles are leaked out by gas drag forces. Therefore particles formed solely in the plasma volume are theorized to possess a distinct charge level from condensati...
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