A new technique to deposit silicon thin film employing supersonic beams is
examined. Our previous studies involved both experimental and numerical app
roaches, in which the thin films were deposited at a high growth rate but o
ver relatively small areas. The current studies are focused on the process
scale-up by using multiple supersonic jets. Three dimensional simulations a
re conducted to investigate the geometrical effects of the molecular beam s
ources; One source configuration involving four jets is found to successful
ly deposit uniform silicon Alms over an area of 18 cm in diameter, with a g
rowth rate higher than 200 Angstrom/min. The molecular beam energy obtained
under these conditions is approximately 1.3 eV. A configuration is also de
signed to increase the deposition area in a laboratory facility for experim
ental verification. (C) 1999 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-2101(99)00303-
6].