2-DIMENSIONAL PROFILE OF EMISSIVE SPECIES IN A MAGNETIZED SIH4/AR GLOW-DISCHARGE FOR THE SCANNING-PLASMA CVD METHOD

In order to control reactive glow discharge plasmas, we have investigated the dependence of spatial profiles of emissive species on a crossed magnetic field B perpendicular to the discharge electric field E. It was found that profiles of SiH* emission, which is a very important species for the plasma chemical-vapor deposition process, had two peaks in both the negative glow region and the cathode sheath region. The plasma was transported by the crossed magnetic field in the direction of the E x B drift vector. As a result of the modification of the plasma structure by the cross magnetic field, subsequent modification of spatial profiles of optical emission from SiH and Ar were observed. The H-alpha emission in the cathode sheath region, which may be caused by the high-energy secondary electrons, were not much influenced by the crossed magnetic field. By applying a modulated magnetic field in ac discharge plasmas (scanning plasma method), time-averaged uniform profiles of both plasmas and SiH radicals could be realized near the substrate sustained outside the discharge region. The minimum inhomogeneities of both profiles were less than 2.5% for the magnetic flux density of several tenths of gauss, in contrast with 15% for the condition of no magnetic field.