Low-temperature formation of SiO_2 layers using a two-step atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced deposition-oxidation process

摘要

Silicon oxide (SiO_2) layers were fabricated at low temperatures ( ≤ 400 ℃) by combining the deposition of hydrogenated amorphous Si (α-Si: H) with its oxidation using atmospheric pressure plasmas excited by a 150 MHz very high-frequency (VHF) power. The surface excitation by the atmospheric pressure VHF plasma was capable of reducing the temperature for the hydrogen effusion from α-Si:H. As a result, a porous α-Si:H film containing a large amount of hydrogen could be transformed into a stoichiometric SiO_2 with an approximately 24% increase in oxidation rate compared with the oxidation of Si(001) at a temperature of 400 ℃.