Room temperature glow discharge deposition of silicon oxides from SiH4 and N2O

Room temperature plasma deposition of silicon dioxide from silane and nitrous oxide has been described. Depositions were made using a capacitively coupled magnetically enhanced glow discharge system. Near stoichiometric SiO2 was deposited at N2O/SiH4 flow ratios from 11:1 to 2.3:1. Mass spectroscopic analyses of the plasma during the deposition suggest that the SiO2 forming reaction takes place between oxygen from decomposition of N2O and silane. MS data also show that the decomposition rates of N2O and and SiH4 in the glow discharge differ as a function of power with N2O decomposing at a lower rate. As a result, in a magnetically enhanced glow discharge where there are power density variations throughout the system, there will be corresponding variations in deposition rate and deposit properties.