Characteristics of very-high-frequency-excited SiH4 plasmas using a ladder-shaped electrode

A very-high-frequency (VBF)-excited SiH4 Plasma was generated using a ladde r-shaped electrode where the discharge frequency ranged up to 100 MHz and t he plasma parameters were measured using a heated Langmuir probe. In the Si H4 plasma as well as in the H-2 plasma, it was confirmed that when the disc harge frequency is increased, the electron density increases while the elec tron temperature decreases. The electron density obtained at 100 MHz was 1. 7 x 10(10) cm(-3), which is sevenfold that at 13.56 MHz. It was also found that the electron temperature tends to increase with increasing gas pressur e in the SiH4 plasma at a very high frequency of 100 MHz.