Growth and Chrarcterization of $SiO_x$ by Pulsed ECR Plasma

Dielectric thin films for TFT(thin film transistor)s, such as silicon nitride and silicon oxide, are usually deposited at . In this study, authors have tried to form dielectric films not by deposition but by oxidation with ECR(Electron Cyclotron Resonance) oxygen plasma, to improve the interface properties was not intensionally heated during oxidation. THe oxidation was performed consecutively without breaking vacuum after the deposition of a-Si: H films on the substrate to prevent the introduction of impurities. In this study, especially pulse mode of microwave power has been firstly tried during FCR oxygen plasma formation. Compared with the case of the continuous wave mode, the oxidation with the pulsed ECR results in higher quality silicon oxide films in terms of stoichiometry of bonding, dielectric constants and surface roughness. Especially the surface roughness of the pulsed ECR oxide films dramatically decreased to one-third of that of the continuous wave mode cases.