PECVD deposition of a-B/C on Si using a surface-ECR plasma source and o-carborane precursor gas

Summary form only given, as follows. Vacuum wall deposition of a-B/C films has had tremendous positive impact on the performance of tokamak fusion reactors. In the present work, sublimed gas from o-carborane and helium carrier gas are used to create a plasma using the surface-ECR source. The plasma operates in a pressure range of 5 to 15 mTorr and typical flow rates are 5 sccm He plus 0.5-1 sccm o-carborane vapor. The film deposition rate is approximately 200 /spl Aring//minute. Microwave power levels range from 200-500 W at 2.45 GHz. We present data from the deposition plasma, including Langmuir probe measurements and time-of-flight (TOF) analyzer measurements of elemental and molecular ion species concentrations. Plasma electron densities on the order of n/sub e/=10/sup 11/ cm/sup -3/ and electron temperatures of T/sub e//spl ap/2 eV were measured. Using these measurements a self-consistent plasma equilibrium is being modeled. The films have been analyzed for atomic constituency using XPS. Thickness is measured by profilometry. Preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis has been performed. Films with a thickness of a few thousand /spl Aring/ are routinely obtained.