Investigation of the Atomic Layer Deposition Principles: Effects of Growth Parameters on SiO2 Thin Films Using Hexakis(Ethylamino)disilane (AHEAD) as a Silicon Precursor

Abstract

This thesis investigates the deposition of silicon dioxide (SiO₂) thin films using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), with a focus on optimizing process parameters to improve film thickness, uniformity, and chemical composition. Hexakis(ethylamino)disilane (AHEAD) was used as the silicon precursor, and ozone as the oxidant. The study systematically examines the effects of growth temperature, precursor evaporation temperature, and pulse durations on film properties, with characterization performed using ellipsometry and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). This work contributes to a better understanding of the ALD process using the AHEAD precursor and provides practical guidance for tuning deposition parameters to fabricate high-quality SiO₂ films for semiconductor and nanotechnology applications.