Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
A new method for the formation of nanocrystalline Si (nc-Si) in the SiH4 plasma using pulsed-H2 supply with very-high-frequency (VHF;144MHz) excitation is proposed to control the size of nc-Si. Nanocrystalline Si is formed in the gas phase of SiH4 plasma cell by coalescence of radicals. The principle of size control is based on the separation of nucleation and growth process. Supplying H2 into a SiH4 plasma enhances nucleation of nc-Si and suppresses growth rate of nc-Si. The nucleated nc-Si grows larger in a SiH4 plasma during the off state of the H2 supply. As the newly supplied H2 forces nc-Si grown in the previous cycle out of the plasma cell into the deposition chamber, the next nucleation of nc-Si is enhanced simultaneously. Using this method, we fabricated 8 nm-diameter nc-Si with small dispersion (±1 nm) successfully.