EXCIMER LASER DEPOSITION OF SILICA FILMS - A COMPARISON BETWEEN 2 METHODS

Two different LCVD methods are compared, both using an ArF excimer laser in perpendicular configuration, but with different precursors: TEOS + O2 and SiH4 + N2O. The dependencies of the deposition rate on the substrate temperature, the total pressure and the laser energy density show that the process kinetics is completely different for both systems. In fact, the activation energy is much lower for the silane+nitrous oxide system than for TEOS + oxygen. Moreover, the TEOS + oxygen system leads to silica films with a higher water content and less spatial confinement. © 1990.