DIRECT PHOTO-DEPOSITION OF SILICON DIOXIDE FILMS USING A XENON EXCIMER LAMP

Abstract Recently excimer lamps have opened up the field of intense vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) light generation. With theoretical efficiencies reaching 40%, the power available from such lamps based on dielectric barrier discharge generation can be superior to those of typical low pressure mercury lamps with shorter UV wavelengths generated. Here we present, for the first time, the use of these lamps for the direct photo-deposition of silicon dioxide from silane and nitrous oxide mixtures. Deposition rates achieved on our unoptimised system are comparable with those obtained with low pressure mercury lamps. The results indicate promising further applications of such lamps towards semiconductor and optoelectronic materials processing.

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