New excimer ultraviolet sources for photo-assisted deposition of thin films: an alternative to excimer-laser-induced deposition

Abstract

The principles and properties of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and ultraviolet (UV) light generated from a new type of excimer lamp are described. Compared with other lamps, these VUV and UV light sources can provide high photon fluxes over large-areas. These VUV and UV sources have been used to initiate the photo-deposition of dielectric and metallic thin films. The photo-deposited film properties, determined using ellipsometry, FTIR spectroscopy, UV spectrophotometer, and electrical measurements, showed that good quality films could be produced. Multilayered films of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride can also be produced at low temperatures (below 300 degree(s)C). Very high deposition rates (500 angstrom/min) have been obtained by irradiating silane and oxygen gas mixture at low temperatures. This technique being relatively inexpensive in capital outlay, simple to apply, and readily scalable to large-areas provides interesting perspectives for optical and electronic applications.