Charge Assisted Deposition of Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Films by Cesium Sputter Ion Beam Deposition

Abstract

Polycrystalline Si thin films were deposited on a Si (100) substrate using negative Si ion beams and electrons generated from a highly doped Si target by the bombardment of highly energetic cesium ions. The negative Si ion energy was fixed at 100 eV and the target current was manipulated from 100 to 200 µA. The microstructure of the deposited films was analyzed from diffraction pattern and transmission electron micrographs. From the results of Transmission electron Microscopy (TEM) data, a polycrystalline Si film was deposited at a target current of 200 µA while amorphous film or a microcrystalline Si film was obtained at a target current of 100 µA, result in charged defects generated by ion beams and sufficient ion fluxes make such a structural difference.