Growth kinetics and reaction mechanism of silicon chemical vapour deposition from silane

In this paper the kinetics of silicon chemical vapour deposition from silane are studied. The growth rate of a gas-solid deposition reaction is derived on the basis of collision theory of heterogeneous unimolecular elementary reaction and classical statistical physics. A set of homogeneous and heterogeneous reaction mechanisms is suggested for silane deposition. This model can explain many experimental phenomena including low and atmospheric pressure, hydrogen and inert ambient, amorphous, polycrystalline and single-crystal silane deposition. The limitation of the previous kinetic models of silicon chemical vapour deposition is also discussed.