Sequential clustering reactions of SiD+3 with SiD4 and SiH+3 with SiH4: Another case of arrested growth of hydrogenated silicon particles

Abstract

Sequential clustering reactions of SiD+3 with SiD4 and SiH+3 with SiH4 are observed in the ion cell of a Fourier transform mass spectrometer. Clustering occurs either by addition of SiD2 or SiH2 accompanied by loss of D2 or H2, or by the formation and stabilization of the bimolecular adducts. All of the clustering reactions are highly inefficient and lead to bottleneck structures at small silicon cluster sizes containing two to four silicon atoms. Rates are measured for both the addition and association products for each step of the reaction. Back reaction rates are monitored via silicon-29 isotope exchange. Ab initio electronic structure calculations of the reaction pathways including intermediates, transition states and products have been performed by Raghavachari and are presented in his companion paper. The overall reaction mechanisms are similar for each reaction step. First an intermediate complex is formed between the ion and neutral which is strongly bound by a bridging deuterium or hydrogen atom. Collisional stabilization of this complex leads to formation of the observed bimolecular adduct products. These bimolecular adducts do not react further with SiD4 (SiH4) on the time scale of our experiments. Elimination of D2 or H2 leading to the SiD2 (SiH2) addition products occurs via a thermoneutral transition state. Sequential growth by addition of SiD2 (SiH2) arrests at Si3D+7 (Si3H+7). Ab initio calculations find that this occurs because Si3D+7 (Si3H+7) assumes a highly stable cyclic structure. Phase space theoretical modeling of the experimentally measured reaction rates is performed to quantitatively test energies of the reaction intermediate complexes and transition states calculated by Raghavachari. Excellent agreement within 0.13 eV is obtained between the phase space and ab initio energies. Phase space derived kinetic isotope effects on the reaction rates of protiated and deuterated species also correspond well with experiment. Reaction rates at typical temperature and pressure conditions in silane plasmas are also calculated. These results strongly suggest that sequential clustering of SiH+3 with SiH4 does not lead to formation of the deleterious hydrogenated silicon dust observed in silane plasmas.