Remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of silicon films at low temperatures from Si2H6-H-2-SiF4

SiF4 was added into Si2H6-H-2 to deposit silicon films with a crystalline phase at low temperatures (ca. 400 degrees C) in a remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor. It was found that the amount of SiF4 and the plasma power as well as the deposition temperature had a significant effect on the chemical composition, surface roughness, crystallinity, and silicon dangling bond density of the film. The fluorine chemistry not only reduced the amount of hydrogen and oxygen incorporated into the film but also suppressed particle formation in the gas phase, which enhanced crystallization at low temperatures.