Study on the Characteristics of ICP-PECVD Boron Silicate Glasses Dependent on Diborane Flux

摘要

Boron silicate glasses from inductively-coupled plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition are investigated by variation of the diborane flux applied during deposition. Fast Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements of B related peaks calibrated by inductively-coupled optical emission spectroscopy is used to determine the B concentration in the deposited films. Optical, chemical, and electric properties of the boron silicate glasses before and after a high temperature step, as well as of the resulting emitter layer, are discussed. Changes in the molecular composition of the B related bonding structure of the films during the high temperature step are found to be responsible for the properties of the emitter layers as well as the boron silicate glass films. Three corresponding regimes of the film growth depending on the diborane flux are identified and characterized. The formation of a boron-rich layer (BRL) is indirectly shown to be the limiting factor for emitter functions and influencing the corresponding properties under given conditions, i.e., at higher diborane fluxes. (C) 2016 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.