Explanation of the limiting thickness observed in low-temperature silicon epitaxy

Solution of the partial differential equation for diffusion of mobile atoms during solid film growth demonstrates that the observed phase transition i n low-temperature silicon epitaxy is triggered by supersaturation of the gr owing layer with hydrogen. The limiting thickness of the epitaxial layer, h (epi), is completely determined by measurable quantities: the flux of hydro gen, the hydrogen diffusion coefficient, and the layer growth rate. Our mod el accounts for the observed Arrhenius and growth rate dependence of h(epi) . (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)02348-2].