Ge-doped SiO₂ thin films produced by helicon activated reactive evaporation

Ge-doped SiO₂ thin films for optical waveguide application were produced at low temperature by using an improved helicon plasma assisted reactive evaporation technique. Pure Si and Ge materials were simultaneously evaporated from two separated crucibles by using e-beams into high-density oxygen plasma to form the oxide films on a substrate. The film density was enhanced by supplying an r.f. bias to the substrate. Nearly H-free Ge-doped SiO₂ thin films with very high atomic density (∼0.66×10²³ cm^-3), good adhesion and very low surface roughness were produced. The influence of deposition conditions, mainly the helicon r.f. power and substrate bias, on the properties of the films was studied by using surface profilometer, ellipsometer, atomic force microscope, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and field emission scanning electron microscope.