Nanometer-Scale Depth-Resolved Atomic Layer Deposited SiO_2 Thin Films Analyzed by Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy

摘要

In this contribution, pulsed radio frequency (rf ) glow discharge opticalrnemission spectroscopy (GDOES) is used to investigate the film properties ofrnSiO_2 deposited by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), forrnexample, the chemical composition, structural properties and film thickness.rnThe total sputtering time until the interface between the SiO_2 layer and thernSi substrate is u000113 s. The main impurities in the film, that is, H, C, and N,rnare detected. It is observed that both C and N intensities decrease withrnincreasing plasma power during deposition of the thin film. The higherrnplasma power seems to increase the reactivity of the PEALD process andrnconsequently, it might reduce the concentration of impurities in the depositedrnfilm. Moreover, the deviation of the GDOES sputtering rates on the film arernrelated to the film density. The thickness of one-hundred-nanometer rangernSiO_2 film is calculated from the GDOES silicon and oxygen emissionrnprofiles, and its difference from ellipsometry and X-ray reflectivity measurementsrnhighlights the challenges for the GDOES technique for transparentrnthin films.