REMOVAL OF HYDROGEN FROM 1X1 DIHYDRIDE PASSIVATED SI(100) BY LOW-ENERGY RARE-GAS IONS - IMPLICATIONS FOR RPCVD

In order to explore the role of plasma ions in the epitaxial growth of silicon thin films by remote plasma chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD) , absolute cross sections for the removal of hydrogen from a 1 X 1 dih ydride-passivated Si(100) surface by 200 eV Ar+ and He+ ions have been obtained. The measured integrated cross sections are (3.4 +/- 0.9) X 10(-17) cm(2) for argon and (2.7 +/- 0.8) X 10(-17) cm(2) for helium c orresponding to sputtering yields of 0.05 +/- 0.01 and 0.04 +/- 0.01, respectively. These data suggest that the generation of active sites t hrough the removal of hydrogen from the passivated surface may be the rate limiting step in film growth by RPCVD.