TETRACHLOROSILANE CONSUMPTION IN RADIO-FREQUENCY GLOW-DISCHARGE

Time-resolved mass spectrometry was used for analysis of the plasma re actions in radio frequency (RF) SiCl4 and SiCl4-O-2 discharges as func tions of starting partial pressure and electrical power. Molecular con centrations of the reactants and products from SiCl4 alone and with O- 2 were obtained from the mass spectra and used for plotting the kineti c curves. The SiCl4 and O-2 consumption rates were calculated from the kinetic curves and compared with results of theoretical simulation of the reaction. Dir ect electron impact decomposition was found to be t he main pathway for pure SiCl4 conversion. On the contrary, the consum ption of SiCl4 in the SiCl4+O-2 mixtures was largely chemical. The exp erimental macrokinetics are in agreement with a model in which oxidati on is caused by the atomic oxygen.