The growth region of particles in SiH4 RF discharges is investigated w
ith the parameters of pressure, SiH4 concentration and RF power. When
the diffusion time tau(D) of SiH2 radicals (key species for fast parti
cle nucleation) through their production region is longer than their r
eaction time tau(R) with SiH4 and sufficient SiH2 radicals are supplie
d, particles grow at, a high growth rate of greater than or similar to
10's nm/s localized only around the plasma/sheath (P/S) boundary near
the RF electrode where the radicals are produced. Under this conditio
n, neutral clusters (resulting from the polymerization reactions) reac
t with each other many times before they diffuse out of the radical pr
oduction region. Since the diffusion time of clusters through the radi
cal production region increases with cluster size, large clusters tend
to be localized there and grow further to sizes on the order of nm. W
ith tau(R) > tau(D) and/or insufficient supply of SiH2 radicals, parti
cles grow at a low rate of 1 nm/s and exist in the plasma bulk as well
as around the P/S boundary. Such low growth rates suggest that negati
vely charged clusters are indispensable in order for particles to grow
to above several nm in size.