AVS 50th International Symposium
    Plasma Science and Technology Tuesday Sessions
       Session PS+TF-TuM

Paper PS+TF-TuM9
Pulsed-plasma Deposition of Silicon Dioxide in a High Density Oxygen Discharge

Tuesday, November 4, 2003, 11:00 am, Room 315

Session: Plasma Enchanced Chemical Vapor Deposition
Presenter: Y. Qi, University of Cincinnati
Authors: Y. Qi, University of Cincinnati
T.D. Mantei, University of Cincinnati
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Hard clear silicon dioxide films have been grown from octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS) at low substrate temperatures in a pulse-modulated high density electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) oxygen plasma. The input microwave power at 2.45 GHz was pulse-modulated with repetition frequencies from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, duty ratios (on-time/period) from 5% to 100%, and peak microwave power levels from 800 W to 2400 W. The resulting films were SiO@sub 2@-like with Si-O bonds and Si:O ratios close to 1:2. The deposition growth rates were almost independent of frequency for all pulse repetition frequencies from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The growth rates increased strongly as the peak pulse power was increased; with a 50% duty ratio, the growth rate was 0.5 - 0.6 mm/min with 800 W peak power, increasing to 0.8 - 0.9 mm/min at 1600 W peak power. The coating hardness values decreased with pulsed operation as the average input microwave power decreased. Deposition substrate temperatures were significantly lowered as the duty ratio (and thus the average power) decreased, e.g., substrate temperatures were 140°C - 150°C after 10 minutes of deposition with 1600 W of continuous microwave power, dropping to 90°C with a 50% pulse duty ratio and 1600 W peak power. Results from current experiments on pulsed low temperature growth of metal nitride and teflon coatings will also be discussed.