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The Location of Very Small Particles in Silane RF Discharges

Published

Author(s)

K Rozsa, G Bano, Alan Gallagher

Abstract

The size and location of silicon particles that grow in a pure silane, capacitively coupled rf discharge are measured by laser light scattering.The discharge conditions were similar to those typically used to produce amorphous silicon devices, except the temperature is 300 K. At earlydischarge time, when the particles are small ( D - 15 nm), they are located at the middle of the discharge. The larger ones that occur at laterdischarge times form a double layer nearer the electrodes. Surprisingly, the particles are not concentrated at the region of brightest dischargelight, which represents the distribution of high-energy electrons. Yet as expected, the distribution of film deposition on the electrodes fits radicaldiffusion with a source proportional to light intensity. It is also shown, by tilting the substrate, that a small gradient in plasma potential canhave a major effect on particle positions.
Citation
IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science
Volume
29
Issue
No. 2

Keywords

amorphous silicon, discharges, particles, photovoltaics

Citation

Rozsa, K. , Bano, G. and Gallagher, A. (2001), The Location of Very Small Particles in Silane RF Discharges, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science (Accessed April 25, 2024)
Created April 1, 2001, Updated February 17, 2017