INFRARED ABSORPTION MEASUREMENT DURING LOW-TEMPERATURE PECVD OF SILICON-OXIDE FILMS

In situ measurement of infrared absorption spectra has been performed during low-temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor depositiion of silicon-oxide films using tetramethoxysilane as a silicon source. Several absorption bands due to the reactant molecules are clearly observed before deposition. In the plasma, these bands completely disappear at any oxygen mixing ratio. This result shows that most of the tetramethoxysilane molecules are dissociated in the rf plasma, even C-H bonds. Existence of Si-H bonds in vapor phase and/or on the film surface during deposition has been found by infrared diagnostics. We observed both a decrease in Si-OH absorption and an increase in Si-O-Si after plasma off, which means the dehydration condensation reaction continues after deposition. The rate of this reaction is much slower than the deposition ratio of the films.