Effect of Bias Applied to the Substrate on the Low Temperature Growth of Silicon Epitaxial Films during RF-PECVD

Abstract

The deposition behavior of silicon films by radio frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD) was studied by nonclassical crystallization, where the building block of deposition is charged nanoparticles generated in the gas phase of the reactor. To confirm the existence of nanoparticles in the RF-CVD reactor, nanoparticles were captured on the membrane of the transmission electron microscope (TEM) grid under the condition of the DC bias applied to the holder. The capturing behavior of nanoparticles depended on the bias and the conductivity of the membrane. Also, to examine the effect of the bias on the epitaxial growth, films were deposited on the silicon wafer substrate under the condition of the biases of 0, +1000, and −1000 V applied to the substrate holder. A fully epitaxial film could be grown on a silicon wafer at 550 °C under the bias of −1000 V.