SIO2 THIN-FILM DEPOSITION BY RADIO-FREQUENCY OXYGEN PLASMA-ENHANCED LASER-ABLATION FROM SI

A novel process of room temperature deposition of thin SiO2 film by la ser ablation from a c-Si target in a low pressure ( < 5 mTorr) rf oxyg en magnetron plasma background was developed. The gas phase reactions which usually dominate in other high pressure reactive ablation proces ses are suppressed and the energetic particles from the target have go od transport to the substrate in the low pressure background. The surf ace reactions are continuously enhanced after the arrival of Si partic les by the high fluxes of oxygen radicals and ions from the steady sta te magnetron discharge. The deposition of stoichiometric, less disorde r, dense, and water free films are demonstrated.