STATE OF THE SILICON-DLC LAYER INTERFACE PRODUCED BY PLASMA METHODS

This paper presents the results of studies on the influence of plasma onto properties of DLC-Si interface being formed during different DLC deposition processes. Investigated were three plasma enhanced CVD tech niques, varying in the different kinds of plasma involved, namely: dir ect current glow discharge; radio frequency and reactive pulse plasma, as for every method energies of plasma ions reaching the silicon surf ace during deposition process vary significantly. Electrical propertie s of DLC-Si interfaces as well as their chemical constitution were ana lysed by means of electrical characteristics measurements and Auger el ectron spectroscopy, respectively. Results obtained in this way were c ompared with results of a computer simulation (using the program TRIM' 89) Of carbon ion implantation process into the Si substrate, where th e parameters of the real DLC deposition techniques (such as ion energi es etc.) were taken into account. Conclusions drawn from our findings indicate that regardless of DLC deposition technique, the DLC-Si inter face region is always very wide and strongly disordered and this condi tion is apparently reached independently of the plasma ion energy.