MODELING OF GAS-PHASE CHEMISTRY IN THE CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION OF POLYSILICON IN A COLD-WALL SYSTEM

The relative contribution of gas-phase chemistry to deposition processes is an important issue both from the standpoint of operation and modeling of these processes. In polysilicon deposition from thermally activated silane in a cold wall rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition-(RTCVD) system, the relative contribution of gas-phase chemistry to the overall deposition rate was examined by a mass-balance model. Evaluating the process at conditions examined experimentally, the model indicated that gas-phase reactions may be neglected to good accuracy in predicting polysilicon deposition rate. The model also provided estimates of the level of gas-phase-generated SiH2 associated with deposition on the cold-process chamber walls.