Enhanced deposition rate of sputtered amorphous silicon with a helium and argon gas mixture

Sputtered amorphous silicon thin films have been grown in an atmosphere of helium-argon gas and the effect of helium dilution investigated. The major observed feature is that helium dilution enhances the deposition rate. The highest deposition rate, six times larger than that obtained under conventional conditions, is reached with equal proportions of helium and argon in the deposition chamber. The influence of helium dilution is explained on the basis of an increase in the argon ionization rate with helium dilution.