The Nucleation of CVD Silicon on SiO2 and Si3 N 4 Substrates: II . The System

Abstract

A description is given of nucleation experiments with silicon on and substrates in the system, performed at temperatures between 800° and 1100°C. The saturation cluster densities were determined for different mixtures as a function of temperature and could be varied between 105–1010 cm−2. A reaction scheme is proposed in which silicon adatoms reach a steady‐state concentration before nucleation occurs. Comparison of the experimental data with existing nucleation theories gives approximate values for the size of the critical cluster. A strong adsorption of atomic hydrogen, especially on surfaces, may explain the substantial differences in nucleation on and surfaces at temperatures below 1000°C.