X-RAY STUDY OF SILICON DISTORTION ON DEPOSITION OF DIAMOND-LIKE FILMS

Diamond films are of special interest for passivation, because of thei r chemical stability and electric characteristics. However, the proble m of about crystal surface distortion on film deposition is crucial fo r microelectronics applications. An X-ray study of radiation defects c reated in the silicon subsurface region during ion plasma etching and covering the crystal with diamond-like carbon films has been carried o ut. The distorted layer thickness (several nanometres) has been determ ined to be close to the ion penetration depth and the main radiation d efects near the crystal surface tum out to be interstitial like. It ha s been found that the silicon crystal surface under the diamond-like f ilm, deposited by magnetron sputtering of graphite in argon at the opt imal bias voltage equal to -100 V, is very smooth on an atomic scale ( the damaged layer thickness was equal to 3.7 angstrom).