Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is a technique used in the formation of thin films, where plasma is utilized to enhance the chemical reactivity of the reacting substances. This method allows for the deposition of solid films at lower temperatures compared to conventional chemical vapor deposition methods.
Summary of the Answer: Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is a method that uses plasma to increase the chemical activity of reacting substances, enabling the formation of solid films at lower temperatures. This is achieved through the ionization of gas near the surface of the substrate, which activates the reaction gas and improves surface activity. The main methods for stimulating glow discharge in PECVD include radio frequency excitation, DC high voltage excitation, pulse excitation, and microwave excitation.
Detailed Explanation:
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Activation of Reaction Gas: In PECVD, the gas near the surface of the substrate is ionized, which activates the reaction gas. This ionization is facilitated by the generation of low-temperature plasma, which enhances the chemical activity of the reacting substances. The activation of the gas is crucial as it allows for the deposition of films at lower temperatures, which is not possible with conventional chemical vapor deposition methods.
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Improvement of Surface Activity: The ionization process also leads to cathode sputtering on the surface of the substrate. This sputtering improves the surface activity, allowing not only common thermochemical reactions but also complex plasma chemical reactions to occur on the surface. The combined action of these chemical reactions results in the formation of the deposited film.
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Methods of Stimulating Glow Discharge: The glow discharge, which is essential for the ionization process, can be stimulated through various methods. These include radio frequency excitation, DC high voltage excitation, pulse excitation, and microwave excitation. Each method has its own advantages and is chosen based on the specific requirements of the deposition process.
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Properties of Plasma in PECVD: The plasma used in PECVD is characterized by high kinetic energy of electrons, which is crucial for activating chemical reactions in the gas phase. The plasma is a mixture of ions, electrons, neutral atoms, and molecules, and is electrically neutral on a macro scale. The plasma in PECVD is typically a cold plasma, formed by low-pressure gas discharge, which is a non-equilibrium gas plasma. This type of plasma has unique properties, such as the random thermal motion of electrons and ions exceeding their directional motion, and the average thermal motion energy of electrons being significantly higher than that of heavy particles.
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Advantages of PECVD: PECVD offers several advantages over other CVD techniques, including better quality and stability of the deposited films, and typically faster growth rates. The method is versatile and can utilize a broad range of materials as precursors, including those that are typically considered inert. This versatility makes PECVD a popular choice for various applications, including the manufacturing of diamond films.
In conclusion, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is a highly effective method for the deposition of thin films at lower temperatures, leveraging the unique properties of plasma to enhance chemical reactivity and surface activity.
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