Study of the precursor injection in a remote microwave PECVD reactor

Silicon oxide is deposited by Remote Microwave Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vap or Deposition (RMPECVD) using an oxygen plasma and a mixture of 5% silane i n argon injected in the afterglow. Silica is used for applications such as protective and insulating coatings over temperature sensitive substrates (m icroelectronics, sensors...). As the role of injection is quite important t o obtain uniform thickness, a simulation with different geometry of injecto r is needed. The mathematical code, ESTET, has been used to get a better un derstanding of the thermal and hydrodynamic phenomena and to optimize the i njector. The results and the correlation with the film uniformity are discu ssed.