Glow discharge mass spectrometry of silicon DC sputtering in argon-hydrogen

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Abstract
DC reactive sputtering of silicon in an argon-hydrogen discharge has been studied using the glow discharge mass spectrometry method. The influence of major discharge parameters, i.e. the power density and the hydrogen partial pressure on both atomic (Ar+, Si+) and molecular (SiH+, SiH3+, H3+, ArH+) ionic species arriving on the substrate, has been investigated. It is deduced that the reaction between silicon and hydrogen at the target surface is a very likely process leading to the formation of SiH molecules which are sputtered and ionised in the discharge. The influence of the discharge parameters on argon and hydrogen impinging on the substrate are also discussed.