Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactors and associated methods

A plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) reactor, comprising:

• a deposition chamber,
• wherein the deposition chamber is enclosed by a plurality of walls;
• wherein the plurality of walls comprises a bottom wall and sidewalls surrounding the bottom wall;
• wherein a plasma electrode is positioned inside the deposition chamber above the bottom wall, and wherein a ratio of a spacing between the plasma electrode and its closest sidewall to a spacing between the plasma electrode and the bottom wall is selected to allow flow of a precursor gas to be laminar or substantially laminar;
• and
• a control system, wherein:
• the control system is configured to control one or more of a composition of the precursor gas, a flow rate of the precursor gas, a pressure inside the deposition chamber, and/or a power supplied by the plasma electrode, and
• the control system is configured to maintain a total energy to which a monomer flowing through the deposition chamber is exposed at a value that is greater than or equal to 1.5×10−24 J/molecule and less than or equal to 32.0×10−24 J/molecule.