AVS 57th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Plasma Science and Technology Thursday Sessions
       Session PS-ThP

Paper PS-ThP18
SiOx Thin Films Deposition by using a Modified Pin-To-Plate Dielectric Barrier Discharge Source in Atmospheric Pressure

Thursday, October 21, 2010, 6:00 pm, Room Southwest Exhibit Hall

Session: Plasma Science and Technology Poster Session
Presenter: E.L. Gil, Sungkyunkwan University, Republic of Korea
Authors: E.L. Gil, Sungkyunkwan University, Republic of Korea
J.B. Park, Sungkyunkwan University, Republic of Korea
J.S. Oh, Sungkyunkwan University, Republic of Korea
G.Y. Yeom, Sungkyunkwan University, Republic of Korea
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SiO2 films are used in various areas due to the excellent physical and chemical properties such as optical transparency, chemical inertness, scratch resistance, and sufficient hardness. In this study, as an application to a thin film passivation layer for flexible substrates, the deposition of SiO2 thin film has been investigated. Especially, for the in-line and the roll-to-roll processing of flexible substrate, SiO2-like thin film was deposited by an atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD) technique at atmospheric pressure and at room temperature. A modified dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) called a “pin-to-plate-type DBD” having the combined characteristics of the remote-type DBD was used with a gas mixture of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS)/O2/He/Ar in order to generate high-density plasmas and to limit the damage to the substrate. The characteristics of SiO2-like thin film were varied with gas mixture. As HMDS flow rate was increased, higher -(CH3)x bonds and lower -OH bonds were obtained due to the decreased recombination of carbon or hydrogen with oxygen, and consequently more particles and rough surface were observed. Although the increase of oxygen in the plasma was beneficial in removing all impurities relating to carbon, further increase of O2 more than 14 slm obstructed forming the pure SiO2-like films resulting in a rough surface. By using a gas mixture of HMDS (150 sccm)/O2 (14 slm)/He (5 slm)/Ar (3 slm), SiO2-like thin films with a low impurity could be obtained at a deposition rate of approximately 42.7 nm/min.