We have investigated the mechanism of silicon thin film deposition by ArF excimer laser irradiation of silane gas diluted with argon. The Si films were deposited by a focused laser beam irradiating in parallel to silicon and silicon dioxide substrates at a gas flow rate of 20 SCCM, total pressure of 60 Torr and repetition rate of 15 Hz. At laser energy fluences higher than 160 mJ/cm' the deposition rate was almost independent of the incident laser energy, while at a lower energy the deposition rate depended strongly on the laser energy. A 3/2 power law was found for absorption measurements carried out at the same pressure under flow conditions and for several repetition rates at average laser power above 300 mW, regardless of the laser repetition rate. This kind of behavior is typical of a multiphoton absorption process involving saturation effects caused by focusing of the laser beam. Below 300 mW the power dependence indicated a two-photon absorption process. From the observed photochemical yield we found the value 5.7 x 1O-44 cm4 s molec-for the two-photon absorption cross section.
A Gaussian-shaped transverse thickness distribution of the deposited layer was obtained with a maximum value corresponding to the center of the laser beam spatial profile. This distribution depended on the deposition parameters, and was attributed to the diffusion process of silane decomposition products in the gas phase in the substrate. Analysis of the adsorption features of the process showed that the major product adsorbed on the substrate surface is siiicon.
An Arrhenius plot of the deposition rate versus the substrate temperature exhibits two regimes, each associated with a different activation energy. Between 340 "C and 460 "C the activation energy is 0.250.3 e.V, while between 500 "C and 560 "C it is 1.1 e.V. The activation energy in the higher temperature regime is similar to that found for thermal nonlaser assisted chemical vapor deposition. However, in the lower temperature regime the deposition process is mainly laser induced, and the value of the activation energy is due to the process of adsorption of the gas species on the substrate.