Large-Area and High-Speed Deposition of Microcrystalline Silicon Film by Inductive Coupled Plasma using Internal Low-Inductance Antenna

Abstract

A novel inductively-coupled RF plasma source with internal low-inductance antenna (LIA) units was developed to synthesize microcrystalline silicon (mc-Si) film on a large glass substrate. A film thickness profile on a 600 Â 720 mm 2 glass substrate was achieved with high plasma uniformity and a variation of less than AE5% without a standing-wave effect. Raman and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis revealed that highly crystallized mc-Si films, which were directly deposited on a glass substrate, were synthesized without an amorphous-phase incubation layer at the substrate interface. A bottom-gate thin-film transistor (BG-TFT) was fabricated employing an optimized mc-Si layer and exhibited a field-effect mobility of 3 cm 2 /(VÁs), which is one order higher than that of a typical amorphous silicon TFT.

Large-area low-damage plasma sources driven by multiple low-inductance-antenna modules for next-generation flat-panel display processes

“…This feature of low-damage processing enabled high-quality and large-area deposition of micro-crystalline silicon films; the bottomgate thin-film transistors (BG-TFTs) formed via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) showed enhanced mobility (one order of magnitude higher than that for a-Si:H films) as well as significant advantages in TFT reliability with considerably suppressed threshold-voltage shifts (ΔV th b 0.5 V) [22].…”

Nanocrystalline Si:H films made by inductively coupled plasma using internal low inductance antenna

“…For manufacturing solar panels using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) process, a higher plasma density and a larger yet uniform plasma zone are thus advantageous. Many methods have been proposed to generate such high-density plasmas [5][6][7], and recently, an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system using arrays of internal low inductance antennas (LIA) has been proposed to produce large-area, highly crystallized ncSi:H films [8][9][10]. The LIA units can produce high-density plasma with low plasma potential (as low as 10 V, thus low plasma damage to the deposited film) by decreasing the electrostatic coupling within the plasma.…”

Effects of RF Power and Working Pressure on the Properties of Nc-Si:H Thin Films Deposited by an ICP-CVD System

“…Many methods so far have been proposed to generate plasma containing high-density radicals [1][2][3]. Recently, it was reported that highly crystallized nc-Si films with good interface quality could be deposited by certain inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD) system equipped with internal low-inductance-antennas (LIA) [4]. The LIA units could produce high-density plasma with low plasma potential by decreasing capacitive coupling within the plasma chamber.…”

“…The LIA units could produce high-density plasma with low plasma potential by decreasing capacitive coupling within the plasma chamber. The configuration of this kind allows high plasma density of 10 17 -10 18 /m 3 with efficient power transfer efficiency (~ 90%) and low plasma damage (Vp can be as low as 10 V.) via the low-voltage operation of ICPs [4]. Further details of LIA characteristics can be found in Ref.…”