An atomic-scale analysis based on molecular dynamics simulations of the interactions of small thermal and energetic clusters observed in various plasmas with crystalline and amorphous Si surfaces is presented. The experimental literature has assumed and employed a unit reaction probability for clusters of various sizes on all Si surfaces in phenomenological models for obtaining hydrogenated amorphous Si film growth rates, while the reaction mechanisms of clusters with the deposition surfaces have remained unexplored. In addition, it is widely speculated that clusters have a detrimental effect on the film quality. Our study shows that the clusters react with high probability with crystalline surfaces and with surfaces of amorphous Si films. The structure and energetics of the corresponding adsorbed cluster configurations on these surfaces are analyzed and discussed. Furthermore, the simulations provide insight into possible mechanisms for the formation of defects, such as voids and dangling bonds, in plasma-deposited amorphous Si films through reactions of the clusters with the deposition surfaces.
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May 2001
This content was originally published in
Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena
Research Article|
May 01 2001
Molecular dynamics study of the interactions of small thermal and energetic silicon clusters with crystalline and amorphous silicon surfaces
Shyam Ramalingam;
Shyam Ramalingam
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5080
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Eray S. Aydil;
Eray S. Aydil
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5080
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Dimitrios Maroudas
Dimitrios Maroudas
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-5080
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J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 19, 634–644 (2001)
Article history
Received:
February 10 2000
Accepted:
February 12 2001
Citation
Shyam Ramalingam, Eray S. Aydil, Dimitrios Maroudas; Molecular dynamics study of the interactions of small thermal and energetic silicon clusters with crystalline and amorphous silicon surfaces. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 1 May 2001; 19 (3): 634–644. https://doi.org/10.1116/1.1362682
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