A Thermodynamical Study of the Growth Rate of Epitaxial Silicon from SiI4

Abstract
Epitaxial layers of silicon have been grown on silicon substrates by the hydrogen reduction of SiI4. The deposition rate was studied as functions of the composition of the SiI4-H2 mixture, the reaction temperature, and the flow rate of the mixture. A theoretical expression for the deposition rate has been developed based on a thermodynamical consideration. Only two reactions, SiI4+2H2=Si+4HI and SiI4+Si=2SiI2 were taken into account. The experimental results are well explained by this theory.