Laser-Induced-Fluorescence Detection of SiH2 Radicals in a Radio-Frequency Silane Plasma

Abstract
Silylene radicals (SiH2) in a 40-W 40-mTorr RF (13.56 MHz) SiH4/Ar plasma were detected by use of a laser-induced-fluorescence (LIF) technique. The observed SiH2 density increased with increasing Ar partial pressure. The absolute SiH2 density, estimated from the comparison of the LIF intensity with the intensity of Rayleigh scattering caused by N2 molecules, is in the range of 109-1010 cm-3.