Growth kinetics in plasma CVD of a-SiC films from monomethylsilane revealed by in situ spectroscopy

Films of a-SiC:H were deposited on Si (1 0 0) substrates by plasma chemical vapor deposition from monomethylsilane. The growth kinetics is discussed on the basis of in situ optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and absorption spectroscopy. The film has near-stoichiometric composition and the growth rate increases slightly with increasing plasma electron density. The OES spectra indicate the presence of H, H-2, and SiH, and an SiH2 band is observed in the absorption spectra. It is considered that the SiH, concentration determines the growth rate. The spatial distribution of atomic hydrogen and Sill according to OES spectra indicates that the reaction species in the plasma reach the substrate by diffusion. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.