The objective of this project is to characterize the reaction chemistry of the plasmas-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride films at atmospheric pressure. Previous work includes that high-quality silicon-dioxide films can be deposited at rates up to 3000 Angstroms/min. using a newly developed atmospheric-pressure plasma jet. In this study, the identities of the reactive species formed in oxygen and nitrogen plasma jets is determined using optical absorption and emission spectroscopies, chemical titration, and laser-induced fluorescence. In addition, species adsorbed on film surfaces during growth are monitored by multiple-internal reflection infrared spectroscopy. Models of coupled gas and surface reactions occurring in the plasma-jet reactor are developed. By combining numerical simulations with experimental results, descriptions of the reaction mechanisms for deposition of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride are obtained.
PECVD of dielective thin films is an essential part of the manufacture of semiconductor devices including integrated circuits and thin-film transistors used in flat-panel displays. This effort explores a new plasma source, the atmospheric-pressure plasma jet. It offers greater knowledge of the reaction chemistry in plasma reactors that should stimulate advances in design, operation, and control of these exists.
