Multi-hollow discharge plasma CVD reactor with magnets for highly stable a-Si:H film deposition

Incorporation of amorphous silicon nanoparticles (clusters) has been related to a-Si:H films' light induced degradation [1]. In the present work, we have developed a multi-hollow discharge plasma CVD reactor in which we introduced magnets into the electrode to produce a magnetic field (400 G) along the holes' axis to increase the confinement of electrons of low kinetic energy $<$10eV. Due to such selective confinement of electrons, the generation rate of SiH$_{3}$ radicals, which is the main precursor of good films, increases; while the generation rate of SiH$_{2}$, which forms clusters, is reduced. By applying the magnetic field, we have obtained a deposition rate 20-100{\%} higher than that without the magnetic field. Moreover, the volume fraction of clusters in films deposited in the downstream region is 14-80{\%} lower when applying the magnetic field. These results indicate that a-Si:H of high stability can be deposited at high rate by applying the magnetic field to the electrodes. \newline \newline [1] M. Shiratani, K. Koga, N. Kaguchi, K. Bando, and Y. Watanabe, Thin Solid Films, \textbf{506-507}, 17 (2006).