Mechanism of silicon film deposition in the RF plasma reduction of silicon tetrachloride

Plasma-chemical reduction of SiCl₄ in mixtures with H₂ and Ar has been studied by optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and laser interferometry techniques. It has been found that the Ar:H₂ ratio strongly affects the plasma composition as well as the deposition (r _D) and etch (r _E) rates of Si: H, Cl films and that the electron impact dissociation is the most important channel for the production of SiCl_x species, which are the precursors of the film growth. Chemisorption of SiCl_x and the reactive surface reaction SiCl_x+H–SiCl_(x–1)0+HCl are important steps in the deposition process. The suggested deposition model givesr _D [SiCl_x][H], in agreement with the experimental data. Etching of Si: H, Cl films occurs at high Ar: H₂ ratio when Cl atoms in the gas phase become appreciable and increases with increasing Cl concentration. The etch rate is controlled by the Cl atom chemisorption step.     

An Analysis of Low Frequency Discharge in a CH3SiCl3-Ar-H2 Mixture by Optical Emission Spectroscopy and Actinometry

Low frequency (100 kHz) discharge in Ar-H₂ and CH₃SiCl₃-Ar-H₂ mixtures was studied to obtain information on the processes involved in plasma deposition of Si_xC_y:H films from CH₃SiCl₃-Ar-H₂ plasma once the properties of Ar-H₂ plasma are known. The plasmas were studied using optical emission spectroscopy. The addition of small amounts of nitrogen to the plasma mixtures also permitted the use of an actinometry technique. First, plasma parameters (electron density and temperature) and actinometric concentrations of atomic hydrogen in an argon–hydrogen plasma were investigated as a function of the hydrogen content in the feed. Second, the emission intensities of Si, Si⁺, CH, H, Ar and Ar⁺ species produced in the CH₃SiCl₃-Ar-H₂ discharge were analysed as a function of time following the introduction of CH₃SiCl₃ (methyltrichlorosilane, MTCS) to the argon–hydrogen plasmas with various proportions of the feed gasses. The results reveal a rapid decay of the Si-excited state number density versus time, while those of Si⁺ and CH fell off more slowly. The emission of atomic silicon was believed to be a result of electron impact dissociative and excitation processes occurring in the bulk of the discharge, whereas the Si⁺ and CH seemed to originate mainly from products of sputtering of the growing film surface. The fragmentation of the MTCS associated with HCl formation and enhanced atomic hydrogen production as a result of HCl dissociation are proposed. Variations in the radical densities of H and CH₃ were determined using an actinometry technique. The results indicate a significant role for H₂ in gas-phase reactions occurring in the CH₃SiCl₃-Ar-H₂ plasma, as well as in gas-surface interactions, leading to competition between deposition and chemical sputtering of already deposited material.     

Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometry System for Characterization of Thermal Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition

A molecular beam mass spectrometry system for in situ measurement of the concentration of gas phase species including radicals impinging on a substrate during thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition (TPCVD) has been designed and constructed. Dynamically controlled substrate temperature was achieved using a variable thermal contact resistance method via a backside flow of an argon/helium mixture. A high quality molecular beam with beamtobackground signal greater than 20 was obtained under film growth conditions by sampling through a small nozzle (75 m) in the center of the substrate. Mass discrimination effects were accounted for in order to quantify the species measurements. We demonstrate that this system has a minimum detection limit of under 100 ppb. Quantitative measurements of hydrocarbon species (H, H₂, C, CH₃, CH₄, C₂H₂, C₂H₄) using Ar/H₂/CH₄ mixtures and silicon species (Si, SiH, SiH₂, SiCl, SiCl₂, Cl, HCl) using Ar/H₂/SiCl₄ mixtures were obtained under thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition conditions.     

SiCl 3 + and SiCl+ affinities for pyridines determined by using the kinetic method with multiple stage mass spectrometry: Agostic effects in the gas phase

Cluster ions, Py₁SiCl ₃ ⁺ Py₂ and Py₁SiCl⁺Py₂, where Py₁ and Py₂ represent substituted pyridines, formed upon reactive collisions of mass-selected SiCl ₃ ⁺ or SiCl⁺ cations with a mixture of pyridines, are shown to have loosely bound structures by multiple stage mass spectrometry experiments in a pentaquadrupole mass spectrometer. The fragment ion abundance ratio, ln([Py₁SiCl _n ⁺ ]/[Py₂SiCl _n ⁺ ]) (n=1 or 3) is used to estimate the relative SiCl ₃ ⁺ or SiCl⁺ affinities of the constituent pyridines by the kinetic method. In the case of clusters comprised of meta- and/or para-substituted pyridines (unhindered pyridines), the SiCl ₃ ⁺ and SiCl⁺ affinities are shown to display excellent linear correlations with the proton affinities (PAs). On the assumption that the effective temperatures of the SiCl ₃ ⁺ - and SiCl⁺-bound dimers are 555 K (i. e., the same as those of the corresponding Cl⁺-bound dimers), SiCl ₃ ⁺ and SiCl⁺ affinities of the substituted pyridines, relative to pyridine, are estimated to be 3-MePy (2.1 kcal/mol), 4-MePy (3.2 kcal/mol), 3-EtPy (3.7 kcal/mol), 4-EtPy (4.2 kcal/mol), 3,5-diMePy (4.8 kcal/mol), and 3,4-diMePy (5.4 kcal/mol). The SiCl ₃ ⁺ and SiCl⁺ cation affinities are related to the proton affinities by the expressions: relative (SiCl ₃ ⁺ ) affinity = 0.95 ΔPA and relative (SiCl⁺) affinity = 0.60 ΔPA. The smaller constant in the relationship between the relative SiCl affinity and the relative proton affinity is the result of weaker bonding. Steric effects between the ortho-substituted alkyl group and the central SiCl ₃ ⁺ cation reduce the SiCl ₃ ⁺ affinities of dimers that contain ortho-substituted pyridines. The magnitude of the steric acceleration of fragmentation is used to measure a set of gas-phase steric parameters (S ^k). The steric effects in the SiCl ₃ ⁺ dimers are similar in magnitude to those in the corresponding Cl⁺-bound dimers but weaker than those produced by the bulky [OCNCO]⁺ group. An inverted steric effect is observed in those SiCl⁺-bound dimers that incorporate ortho-substituted pyridines and is ascribed to auxiliary Si-H-C bonding, which stabilizes the ortho-substituted pyridine-SiCl⁺ bond. This auxiliary bonding appears to correspond to agostic bonding, which is well characterized in solution and occurs in competition with steric effects that weaken the pyridine-SiCl⁺ interaction. Ion-molecule reactions of pyridines with halosilicon radical cations SiCl ₂ ⁺ and SiCl ₄ ⁺ as well as alkylated halosilicon cations Si(CH₃)₂Cl⁺ and Si(CH₃)Cl ₂ ⁺ also are investigated. In these cases, charge exchange and associated reactions are the main reaction channels, and clustering is not observed.     

Kinetics of the initiation step of the thermal decomposition of SiCl4

The initiation reaction of the thermal decomposition of silicon tetrachloride was studied behind reflected shock waves at temperatures between 1550 K and 2370 K and pressures between 1 and 1.5 bar. Atomic resonance absorption spectrometry (ARAS) was applied for time-resolved measurements of H atoms at the L_α-line in SiCl₄/H₂/Ar systems. Additional experiments were performed in the SiCl₄/Ar system following the absorption of SiCl₄ at the L_α-line. Rate coefficients for the reaction (RI) were determined to be: The choice between two possible alternatives of the first decomposition step, namely elimination of either Cl₂ or Cl, has been made in favor of the second reaction on the basis of kinetic and energetic considerations. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 29: 415–420, 1997.     

NHC→SiCl4: An Ambivalent Carbene‐Transfer Reagent

The addition of BCl₃ to the carbene‐transfer reagent NHC→SiCl₄ (NHC=1,3‐dimethylimidazolidin‐2‐ylidene) gave the tetra‐ and pentacoordinate trichlorosilicon(IV) cations [(NHC)SiCl₃]⁺ and [(NHC)₂SiCl₃]⁺ with tetrachloroborate as counterion. This is in contrast to previous reactions, in which NHC→SiCl₄ served as a transfer reagent for the NHC ligand. The addition of BF₃ ? OEt₂, on the other hand, gave NHC→BF₃ as the product of NHC transfer. In addition, the highly Lewis acidic bis(pentafluoroethyl)silane (C₂F₅)₂SiCl₂ was treated with NHC→SiCl₄. In acetonitrile, the cationic silicon(IV) complexes [(NHC)SiCl₃]⁺ and [(NHC)₂SiCl₃]⁺ were detected with [(C₂F₅)SiCl₃]^? as counterion. A similar result was already reported for the reaction of NHC→SiCl₄ with (C₂F₅)₂SiH₂, which gave [(NHC)₂SiCl₂H][(C₂F₅)SiCl₃]. If the reaction medium was changed to dichloromethane, the products of carbene transfer, NHC→Si(C₂F₅)₂Cl₂ and NHC→Si(C₂F₅)₂ClH, respectively, were obtained instead. The formation of the latter species is a result of chloride/hydride metathesis. These compounds may serve as valuable precursors for electron‐poor silylenes. Furthermore, the reactivity of NHC→SiCl₄ towards phosphines is discussed. The carbene complex NHC→PCl₃ shows similar reactivity to NHC→SiCl₄, and may even serve as a carbene‐transfer reagent as well.     

CsCu4S3 und CsCu3S2: Sulfide mit tetraedrisch und linear koordiniertem Kupfer

Thermodynamics of the System Si? Cl? H By static and dynamic methods the equilibria 4SiHCl₃,g = 3SiHCl₄,g + Si,s + 2H₂,g (1) between 800 and 1140 K and SiCl₄,g + H₂,g = SiHCl₃,g + HCl,g (2) between 1170 and 1450 K were investigated. The expression for the temperature dependence of the equilibria were found to be lg Kp [Torr] = (5.688–1520/T) ± 0.32 (1) and lg Kp = (1.38/3250/T) ± 0.16 (2). The values measured for reaction pressures and equilibrium constants lead to the conclusion, that the difference of enthalpies of formation of SiCl₄ and SiHCl₃ found in literature is nessecarily to be corrected by 5–6 kcal/mole. With ΔH(SiCl₄,g) = ?157.1 kcal/mole the equilibrium measurements lead to the enthalpy of formation for SiHCl₃,g of ΔH(SiHCl₃,g) = ?118.2 kcal/mole.     

Dry etching of InGaP and AlInP in CH4/H2/Ar

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma etching with additional rf-biasing produces etch rates 2,500 A/min for InGaP and AlInP in CH₄/H₂/Ar. These rates are an order of magnitude or much higher than for reactive ion etching conditions (RIE) carried out in the same reactor. N₂ addition to CH₄/H₂/Ar can enhance the InGaP etch rates at low flow rates, while at higher concentrations it provides an etch-stop reaction. The InGaP and AlInP etched under ECR conditions have somewhat rougher morphologies and different stoichiometries up to 200 Å from the sur face relative to the RIE samples.     

Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Studies of Hydrocarbons in RF Plasmas Containing Hexamethyldisiloxane

Tunable infrared diode laser absorption spectroscopy has been used to detect the methyl radical and three stable molecules, CH₄, C₂H₂ and C₂H₆, in radio frequency plasmas (f=13.56 MHz) containing hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO). The methyl radical concentration and the concentration of the stable hydrocarbons, produced in the plasma, have been measured in pure HMDSO discharges and with admixtures of Ar, while discharge power (P=20–200 W), total gas pressure (p=0.08–0.6 mbar), gas mixture and total gas flow rate (=1–10 sccm) were varied. The methyl radical concentration was found to be in the range of 10¹³ molecules cm^-3, while methane and ethane are the dominant hydrocarbons with concentrations of 10¹⁴–10¹⁵ mol cm^-3. Conversion rates to the measured stable hydrocarbons (RC(C_xH_y): 2×10¹²–2×10¹⁶ molecules J^-1 s^-1) could be estimated in dependence on power, flow, mixture and pressure. Under the used experimental conditions a maximum deposition rate of polymer layers of about 400 nm min^-1 has been found.     

Preparation of Forsterite (Mg2SiO4) Powders Via an Aqueous Route Using Magnesium Salts and Silicon Tetrachloride (SiCl4)

Forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) powders were prepared by mixing SiCl₄ with aqueous solutions of either Mg(CH₃COO)₂·4H₂O or Mg(NO₃)₂·6H₂O and heating the powdered gel. The powders were characterised using thermal analysis (DTA and TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption surface area analysis (BET) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). On heating, MgO and enstatite (MgSiO₃) were observed in addition to forsterite. On heating to 1200°C, forsterite was the dominant phase in the powders produced from Mg(NO₃)₂·6H₂O, and MgO was the dominant phase in the powders produced from Mg(CH₃COO)₂·4H₂O. The primary particle sizes of these powders were between 100 and 500 nm, which remained the same on heat treatment. However, higher temperatures gave rise to an increase in the size and densities of the agglomerates of primary particles.     

PAHs Formation in the Depositions in a Methyl tert-Butyl Ether/Ar,a Methyl tert-Butyl Ether/O2/Ar and a Methyl tert-Butyl Ether/H2/Ar RF Plasma Environment

Contents and distributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the depositions were investigated and discussed in a MTBE/Ar, a MTBE/O₂/Ar and a MTBE/H₂/Ar plasma systems. A radio-frequency (RF) plasma system was used to produce the depositions under the designed operational condition. The identification and quantification of PAHs was accomplished by using a GC with a mass selectivity detector (GC/MS). Results indicated that when the input power controlled at high wattage (70 W) in the three systems, the contents of total-PAH in the MTBE/Ar system are higher than those of total-PAH in other system with adding O₂ or H₂. The comparison of three systems indicated the formation and accumulation of PAHs in the MTBE/Ar system is easier than other systems. At high input power wattage, when the MTBE/Ar mixture added O₂ or H₂, the domain pattern was shifted from both 3- and 4-ring PAH to 2-ring PAH. As far as the total-PAH content is concerned, the MTBE/Ar system at 70 W was found to have the highest mean total-PAH content (1540 g/g), while the MTBE/O₂/Ar system at 20 W had the lowest mean total-PAH content (44.4 g/g).     

Deposition of Diamondlike Carbon Film and Mass Spectrometry Measurement in CH4/N2 RF Plasma

The deposition of diamondlike carbon (DLC) film and the measurements of ionic species by means of mass spectrometry were carried out in a CH₄/N₂ RF (13.56 MHz) plasma at 0.1 Torr. The film deposition rate greatly depended on both CH₄/N₂ composition ratio and RF power input. It was decreased monotonically as CH₄ content decreased in the plasma and then rapidly diminished to negligible amounts at a critical CH₄ content, which became large for higher RF power. The rate increased with increasing RF power, reaching a maximum value in 40% CH₄ plasma. The predominant ionic products in CH₄/N₂ plasma were NH⁺ ₄ and CH₄N⁺ ions, which were produced by reactions of hydrocarbon ions, such as CH⁺ ₃, CH⁺ ₂, CH⁺ ₅, and C₂H⁺ ₅ with NH₃ molecules in the plasma. It was speculated that the production of NH⁺ ₄ ion induced the decrease of C₂H⁺ ₅ ion density in the plasma, which caused a reduction in higher hydrocarbon ions densities and, accordingly, in film deposition rate. The N⁺ ₂ ion sputtering also plays a major role in a reduction of film deposition rate for relatively large RF powers. The incorporation of nitrogen atoms into the bonding network of the DLC film deposited was greatly suppressed at present gas pressure conditions.     

Langmuir probe measurements during plasma-activated chemical vapor deposition in the system argon/hydrogen/dicyclopentadienyldimethylhafnium

A Langomir probe investigation of Ar/H₂/Cp₂HfMe₂ plasmas is described. The probe measurements were performed for various discharge conditions. The mean electron energy and electron density were measured for various power, gas flows of argon, and hydrogen and precursor concentrations. Addition of the precursor into the discharge resulted in an appreciable decrease in the electron density and an increase in the mean electron energr. Whereas a transition front the a-mode to the -mode has been observed with power rise in the Ar/H₂ plasmas without precursor, in the presence of the precursor the plasota -mode remained unchanged in the power range investigated.     

Supramolecular aggregation in new crystals with nonlinear optical properties: 2-aminophenol-HClO4, 3-aminophenol-HClO4 and 4-aminophenol-HClO4

Three new hybrid crystals of 2-aminophenol-HClO₄ (2-AP-HClO₄, 1), 3-aminophenol-HClO₄ (3-AP-HClO₄, 2) and 4-aminophenol-HClO₄ (4-AP-HClO₄, 3) were obtained and their crystal structures determined. The 1 crystallises in centrosymmetric space group C2/c of monoclinic system while the other two (2 and 3) crystallise in the non-centro symmetric space group P2₁ and P2₁2₁2₁, respectively. The oppositely charged units of the crystals, i.e. positively charged 2-APH⁺, 3-APH⁺ and 4-APH⁺ and ClO₄⁻, interact via weak N⁺–HO and O–HO hydrogen bonds forming 3D-supramolecular network. Relative to KDP the SHG efficiencies are 0.62 for 2 and 0.33 for 3, measured at 1064 nm using the Kurtz–Perry method.     

Synthese der Silatetraphospholane (tBuP)4SiMe2, (tBuP)4SiCl2 und (tBuP)4Si(Cl)SiCl3 Molekül- und Kristallstruktur von (tBuP)4SiCl2

Synthesis of the Silatetraphospholanes (tBuP)₄SiMe₂, (tBuP)₄SiCl₂, and (tBuP)₄Si(Cl)SiCl₃ Molecular and Crystal Structure of (tBuP)₄SiCl₂ The reaction of the diphosphide K₂[(tBuP)₄] 7 with the halogenosilanes Me₂SiCl₂, SiCl₄ or Si₂Cl₆ in a molar ratio of 1:1 leads via a [4 + 1]-cyclocondensation reaction to the silatetraphospholanes (tBuP)₄SiMe₂ 1,1-dimethyl-1-sila-2,3,4,5-tetra-t-butyl-2,3,4,5-tetraphospholane, 1 , (tBuP)₄SiCl₂, 1,1-dichloro-1-sila-2,3,4,5-tetra-t-butyl-2,3,4,5-tetraphospholane, 2 , and (tBuP)₄Si(Cl)SiCl₃, 1-chloro-1-trichlorsilyl-1-sila-2,3,4,5-tetra-t-butyl-2,3,4,5-tetraphospholane, 3 , respectively, with the 5-membered P₄Si ring system. The reaction leading to 1 is accompanied with the formation of the by-product Me₂(Cl)-Si–(tBuP)₄–Si(Cl)Me₂ 1a (5:1), which has a chain structure. On warming to 100°C 1a decomposes to 1 and Me₂SiCl₂. The compounds 2 and 3 do not react further with an excess of 7 due to strong steric shielding of the ring Si atoms by the t-butyl groups. 1, 2 and 3 could be obtained in a pure form and characterized NMR spectroscopically; 2 was also characterized by a single crystal structure analysis. 1a was identified by NMR spectroscopy only.     

The Combustion of SiCl4 in Hot O2/H2 Flames

A simple kinetic model describing the molecular gas phase reactions during the formation of fumed silica (AEROSIL®) was developed. The focus was on the formation of molecular SiO₂, starting from SiCl₄, hydrogen and oxygen. Wherever available, kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were taken from the literature. All other parameters are based on quantum chemical calculations. From these data, an adiabatic model for the combustion reaction has been developed. It was found that a significant amount of molecular SiO₂ forms after about 0.1 and 0.6 ms at starting temperatures between 1000 and 2000 K. The initial reaction of the SiCl₄ combustion in a hydrogen/oxygen flame was found to be different from the combustion in air: The high reactivity of SiCl₄ towards water is favored over the SiCl₄ dissociation, which is the initial and rate‐determining step during the combustion of SiCl₄ in air.     

Vibrational spectra and structures of CCl2 and SiCl2 molecules stabilized in an Ar matrix

Conclusions A study has been made of the isotopic structures of the ₁ and ₃ IR absorption bands of dichlorocarbene and dichlorosilylene, each stabilized in an Ar matrix at 15–20°K. A determination has been made of the valence angles, force constants, and vibration frequencies, ₁, ₂, and ₃ for various isotopic CCl₂ and SiCl₂ molecules.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2236–2242, October, 1977.The authors would like to thank S. P. Kolesnikov and B. L. Perl'mutter who supplied the C₄H₈O₂·GeCl₂ complex, and E. A. Chernyshev, N. G. Komalenkova and S. A. Bashkirova who supplied the Si₂Cl₆.     

Rate Coefficient for Self-Association Reaction of CF2 Radicals Determined in the Afterglowof Low-Pressure C4F8 Plasmas

We have analyzed decay kinetics of CF₂ radicals in the afterglow of low-pressure, high-density C₄F₈ plasmas. The decay curve of CF₂ density has been approximated by the combination of first- and second-order kinetics. The surface loss probability evaluated from the frequency of the first-order decay process has been on the order of 10^–4. This small surface loss probability has enabled us to observe the second-order decay process. The mechanism of the second-order decay is self-association reaction between CF₂ radicals (CF₂+CF₂C₂F₄). The rate coefficient for this reaction has been evaluated as (2.6–5.3)×10^–14 cm³/s under gas pressures of 2 to 100 mTorr. The rate coefficient was found to be almost independent of the gas pressure and has been in close agreement with known values, which are determined in high gas pressures above 1 Torr.     

Composite Pd/Pr4O7/C catalysts: Synthesis, dispersity and properties

The catalysts prepared sequentiallyvia the interaction of C₃H₅PdC₅H₅ with the surface of evacuated Pr₄O₇/C and reduction with H₂ at 573 K, contain 20–30 Pd particles and Pr₄O₇ particles<20 . The catalysts obtained have two-order of magnitude higher specific activity in the CH₃OH synthesis than Pd/C.     

Reaction Mechanisms in Both a CCl2F2/O2/Ar and a CCl2F2/H2/Ar RF Plasma Environment

Decomposition of dichlorodifluoromethane (CCl₂F₂ or CFC-12) in aradiofrequency (RF) plasma system is demonstrated. The CCl₂F₂decomposition fractions _{CCl 2 F 2} and mole fractionsof detected products in the effluent gas stream of CCl₂F₂/O₂/Ar andCCl₂F₂/H₂/Ar plasma, respectively, have been determined. The experimentalparameters including input power wattage, O₂/CCl₂F₂ or H₂/CCl₂F₂ ratio,operational pressure, and CCl₂F₂ feeding concentration wereinvestigated. The main carbonaceous product in the CCl₂F₂/O₂/Arplasma system was CO₂, while that in the CCl₂F₂/H₂/Ar plasma systemwas CH₄ and C₂H₂. Furthermore, the possible reaction pathways werebuilt-up and elucidated in this study. The results of the experimentsshowed that the highly electronegative chlorine and fluorine wouldeasily separate from the CCl₂F₂ molecule and combine with the addedreaction gas. This led to the reactions terminated with the CO₂,CH₄, and C₂H₂ formation, because of their high bonding strength. Theaddition of hydrogen would form a preferential pathway for the HCland HF formations, which were thermodynamically stable diatomicspecies that would limit the production of CCl₃F, CClF₃, CF₄, andCCl₄. In addition, the HCl and HF could be removed by neutral orscrubber method. Hence, a hydrogen-based RF plasma system provideda better alternative to decompose CCl₂F₂.