The influence of nitrogen injection on the formation of a-C:H films in areas far away from the plasma as well as close to the plasma boundary was studied in the PSI-2 device for collector temperatures between 310 and 350 K. The balance between deposition and erosion determines the net growth rate. Small amounts of nitrogen (Φ(N 2 ) ≈ Φ(CH 4 ) ≈ 2% Φ(H 2 )) strongly reduce the net growth rate in H 2 /CH 4 mixtures. While N 2 injection does not influence erosion far away from the plasma it increases erosion close to the plasma boundary. The experiments show clear evidence for a scavenger effect due to the injected nitrogen. The conversion from N 2 to active species takes place in the hot plasma region.
Abstract. The deposition of amorphous hydrocarbon (a-C:H) films and the influence of nitrogen on these films were studied. The experiments were performed in low temperature plasmas with T e = 3 . . . 6 eV and n e = 1 · 10 16. . . 4 · 10 17 m −3 . The ratio between injected nitrogen and methane was varied as well as the substrate temperature and the neutral gas pressure. Additionally, the deposition distribution as a function of distance was determined. In situ measurements of the a-C:H growth rate show that the carbon redeposition can be suppressed completely by nitrogen injection (scavenger effect).
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