A Kinetics Study of the Atmospheric Pressure CVD Reaction of Silane and Nitrous Oxide

A mechanistic study of oxide deposition from silane and nitrous oxide between 495°C and 690°C was performed in a laminar flow, cool wall reactor. Results indicated the existence of two distinct chemical pathways. At high nitrous oxide concentrations, the deposition reaction is dominated by radical chain chemistry initiated by the decomposition of N 2 O . At lower N 2 O concentrations, the decomposition of silane to form silylene ( SiH 2 ) initiates the deposition. Studies of the reaction of disilane and nitrous oxide confirmed the role of SiH 2 in the deposition. Reactions involving SiH 2 are used to explain the observed growth of sub‐stoichiometric oxides under low N 2 O conditions.