Investigation of the growth kinetics of glow-discharge hydrogenated amorphous silicon using a radical separation technique

The deposition kinetics of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) from a SiH4 glow-discharge plasma have been investigated by examining the diffusion of SiH3 monoradicals in the discharge-free space within a triode reactor. This experiment suggests that the SiH3 radicals are responsible for about 37% of the total deposition rate of a-Si:H in a conventional SiH4 glow-discharge process. The contribution of other radicals and atoms to the deposition rate is also discussed through the analysis of reaction-rate constants.