In situ process diagnostics of silane plasma for device-quality a-Si:H deposition

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) and mass spectrometry (MS) have been applied to in situ process diagnostics of a silane plasma for device-quality a-Si:H film deposition. Silane depletion was directly measured by CARS and is linearly dependent on RF power in the region of 4-12 W with a slope of 0.5 percent/mW-sq cm. The depletion is also dependent on SiH4 flow rate starting with a 50 percent depletion at a low flow rate of 5.6 sccm and asymptotically approaching an 8 percent depletion at a flow rate of 80 sccm. The mass spectral line signal intensity of disilane increases with RF power and shows an apparent transition at 6 W. Disilane formation in silane plasma, film deposition rate, and silane depletion ratio as a function of the RF power indicate that the film growth mechanism in the low-power region of 3.5-6.5 W is substantially different from that in the high-power region of 6.5-12 W.