Correlation between silicon particles and modulated crossed magnetic fieldin silane plasmas

The influence of a modulated crossed magnetic field on silicon particles ha le been investigated by a laser light scattering method and a field emissio n scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) in SiH4(10%)/Ar plasmas. In the init ial stage of silane discharge, the fluctuation of discharge current due to the modulated crossed magnetic field being applied is drastically decreased , then the density of silicon particles removed from the discharge space is increased and the average radius of the removed silicon particles is kept smaller than 10 nm of the detecting limit of FESEM. It is suggested that th e small silicon particles in the stage of the initial growth are effectivel y removed from the discharge space and the fluctuation of discharge current is related to the nucleation and the growth of silicon particles. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.