Achieving uniform layer deposition by atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

• Zirconium oxide was deposited by atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
• Homogeneous plasma was maintained by counterbalancing between discharge gas and precursors.
• Several deposition steps were observed affected by the gas flow stream and precursor depletion.
• Thin film layer was uniformly grown when the substrate underwent a sweeping motion.

This work investigates the use of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition under atmospheric pressure for achieving uniform layer formation. Electrical and optical measurements demonstrated that the counterbalance between oxygen and precursors maintained the homogeneous discharge mode, while creating intermediate species for layer deposition. Several steps of the deposition process of the layers, which were processed on a stationary stage, were affected by flow stream and precursor depletion. This study showed that by changing the flow streamlines using substrate stage motion uniform layer deposition under atmospheric pressure can be achieved.