Abstract

Reacting silicon surfaces in contact with the glow discharge of SiH₄ or SiH₄+CH₄ have been studied by an FT-IR-ATR (Attenuated Total Reflection) technique. In the early stages of silicon film growth from a SiH₄ plasma at a substrate temperature of 200°C, SiH₂ is the major species on the surface, while at room temperature SiH₃ and (SiH₂)_n chains are the dominant surface products. At a temperature of -95 °C, polymerization reactions among adsorbates proceeds on the surface to form polysilane. At the beginning of silicon carbide deposition on a silicon film from a SiH₄+CH₄ plasma, the surface hydrogen bonds are scavenged by CH₃ radicals at room temperature, while they are stable at temperatures below -50°C.

© 1995 Optical Society of America