Issue of particle formation in the high rate film deposition by plasma assisted deposition processes

Particle contamination in processing plasma reactors that are designed for deposition, etching, and sputtering applications e.g., for solar cells, flat panel displays, and chip production often plays a crucial role in the quality and the yield of the processed products. Although plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) is presently still the workhorse of the semiconductor industry, it is also suffers from the drawback of dust production, which is linked to the use of plasma. For instance the formation of dust, caused by the positive potential in the bulk of the plasma, which traps negatively charged particles, is a serious issue. The reduction or removal of such particles poses a major technological challenge for plasma-assisted processing, which needs to be addressed.