Experimental study of fractal clusters formation from nanoparticles synthesized by atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

This paper presents the experimental results from the fractal structures formation from nanoparticles of silicone dioxide deposited on the silicon substrate surface. Nanoparticles are synthesized by atmospheric pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition with the use of capacitively coupled radio frequency (13.56 MHz) discharge sustained in helium atmosphere. Tetraethoxysilane is chosen as the test precursor. Correlation between the morphology of obtained deposits and the process parameters is found. The capability of nanoparticles movement along the deposit surface in local near-surface electric field is demonstrated. The empirical model that satisfactorily explained the mechanism of fractal clusters formation from nanoparticles on the substrate surface is developed. The model indicates that the dynamics of deposit morphology variations is determined by two competing processes: electrical charge transfer by nanoparticles to the deposit surface and electrical charge running off over the surface under conditions of changeable conductivity of the deposit surface.