Structure of Silicon Films Deposited on Oxidized Silicon Wafers

Abstract

The effect of substrate temperature on the preferred orientation of poly‐crystalline silicon films deposited on thermally grown silicon dioxide has been investigated. The films were deposited by the pyrolytic decomposition of silane and were examined by x‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. For films grown to a thickness of 16µ, the preferred orientation first increased in the <110> direction as deposition temperature was increased to 1000°C; as deposition temperature was increased above 1000°C the preferred {110} orientation decreased. The measurement of preferred orientation as a function of film thickness indicated that the strong {110} preferred orientation at 1000°C was due to accelerated {110} growth and not preferred {110} nucleation orientation.