DOMINANT PLASMA SPECIES FOR TIN FILM FORMATION BY PLASMA CVD

An experimental study has been performed to identify the dominant plas ma species which contribute to the formation of TIN films during CVD p lasma deposition. To this effect, we measured the TIN film growth rate as a function of selected process variables and determined as well th e radiation emission intensity of the major plasma species and their s caling with respect to the same variables, in the bulk plasma region a nd in the vicinity of the substrate. On these bases we calculated the corresponding flux rates to the substrate surface for the most abundan t neutral species containing titanium and nitrogen, as well as their s caling as a function of the selected process variables. The results ob tained suggest that Ti atoms and N-2(A(3) Sigma(u)(+)) metastables are the major species contributing to the supply of activated titanium an d nitrogen to the substrate surface. In addition, a scaling correlatio n has been established between the concentration of these species in t he bulk plasma and the film growth rate which supports this result.