Analysis of silane with a sealed inductively coupled plasma discharge

Abstract

Silane at concentrations of up to 5% by volume is introduced into a sealed inductively coupled plasma system. A 6-fold excess of HCl is necessary to prevent deposition of silane species in the discharge container. Under static (non-flowing) conditions, a detection limit for As of 10 ppb v/v in the presence of silane can be extrapolated to a detection limit of 200 ppb in silane. In addition to As, which was doped into the sample stream, Al, C, Cu, Fe, Ge, Mg, Na, Sn, Ti and Zr were detected. Iron, Ge, Mg, Sn, Ti and Zr were identified in the silane. Changes in the emission spectrum when silane is added to the argon discharge indicate that silane alters the processes occurring in the plasma and affects the emission of other elements.