Properties of SiO2 Films Fabricated by Microwave Ecr Plasma Processing with and Without Energetic Particle Bombardment During Film Deposition Part I. Fabrication Processes and Physical Properties

Abstract

ABSTRACTSilicon dioxide (SiO2) films were fabricated by microwave ECR plasma processing. Two groups of films were fabricated; group A with the substrates placed in a position directly facing the plasma so that the substrates as well as the on-growing films were subjected to bombardment of energetic particles produced in the plasma, and group B with the substrates placed in a processing chamber physically separated from the plasma chamber in order to prevent or suppress the damaging effects resulting from these energetic particle bombardment. The systems used for fabricating these two different groups of samples are described. The films were deposited at various deposition temperatures. On the basis of the deposition rate as a function of deposition temperature the film growth for group A samples is due mainly to mass-limited reaction, and that for group B samples is due to surface rate limited reaction. The stoichiometric level for group A does not change with deposition temperature though the films density increases with increasing deposition temperature. However, group B samples exhibit an off-stoichiometric property but they become highly stoichiometric as the deposition temperature is increased beyond 200 °C