Study on the Characteristics of ICP-PECVD Boron Silicate Glasses Dependent on Diborane Flux

Boron silicate glasses from inductively-coupled plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition are investigated by variation of the diborane flux applied during deposition. fast Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measuremems ofB related peaks calibrated by inductively-coupled optical emission specn-oscopy is used to determine the B concentration in the deposited filius. Optical, chemical, and electric properties of the boron silicate glasses before and after a bigb temperature step, as weU as of the resulting emitter layer, are discussed. Changes in tbe molecular composition of the B related bonding structure of the films during the bigb temperature step are found to be responsible for the properties of the emitter layers as weU as the boron silicate glass films. Three corresponding regimes of the film gmwth depending on the diborane flux are idemified and characterized. Tbe formation of a boron-rich layer (BRL) is indirectly shown to be the limiting factor for emitter functions and influencing the corresponding properties under given conditions, i.e., at higher diborane fluxes.