The Generation of High-Density Microwave Plasma and Its Application to Large-Area Microcrystalline Silicon Thin Film Formation

Abstract

A low-temperature, uniform, and high-density microwave plasma (2.45 GHz) is produced utilizing a spokewise antenna with no use of magnetic field. The plasma maintains a uniform state in Ar low pressure of 10 mTorr with high electron density, >10 11 cm -3 , and temperature less than of 2.5 eV within ±6% over a 16 cm diameter. Highly crystallized, photoconductive, hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon, µc-Si:H film is produced from dichlorosilane (SiH 2 Cl 2 ), H 2 and Ar mixture at a high deposition rate of more than 5 Å/s. This plasma source has high potential not only for etching but also for the large-area film deposition processes.