OH radical activation of ZnO growth in remote plasma metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

A possible role of OH radicals in the formation mechanism of ZnO thin films by remote plasmaenhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (RPE-MOCVD) was investigated. The plasma was generated by a radio frequency discharge in O2. The change of the carrier gas from H2 to N2 resulted in a significant decrease in deposition rate. Moreover, growth rate changed also with the content of H2 of an oxygen-hydrogen mixture gas in a reactor. Optical spectroscopic investigation of the light emitted by the reactor gas in the vicinity of a substrate showed that the effect of the carrier gas on deposition rate is related to the occurrence of OH radicals.