Preparation and characterization of polymer-derived amorphous silicon carbide with silicon-rich stoichiometry

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 612; pp. 284 - 289
• Main Authors: Masuda, Takashi, Iwasaka, Akira, Takagishi, Hideyuki, Shimoda, Tatsuya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2016
• Subjects: Amorphous silicon carbide; Polycarbosilane; Polydihydrosilane; Polymer-derived ceramic; Polydihydrosilane; Polycarbosilane; Amorphous silicon carbide; Polymer-derived ceramic
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2016.06.024

Polydihydrosilane with pendant hexyl groups was synthesized to obtain silicon-rich amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC) films via the solution route. Unlike conventional polymeric precursors, this polymer requires neither catalysts nor oxidation for its synthesis and cross-linkage. Therefore, the polymer provides sufficient purity for the fabrication of semiconducting a-SiC. Here, we investigated the correlation of Si/C stoichiometry between the polymer and the resultant a-SiC film. The structural, optical, and electrical properties of the films with various carbon contents were also explored. Experimental results suggested that the excess carbon that did not participate in SiC configurations was decomposed and was evaporated during polymer-to-SiC conversion. Consequently, the upper limit of the carbon in resultant a-SiC film was <50at.%; namely, the polymer provided silicon-rich a-SiC, whereas the conventionally used polycarbosilane inevitably provides carbon-rich one. These features of this unusual polymer open up a frontier of polymer-derived SiC and solution-processed SiC electronics. •Polymeric precursor solution for silicon carbide (SiC) is synthesized.•Semiconducting amorphous SiC is prepared via solution route.•The excess carbon is decomposed during cross-linking resulting in Si-rich SiC films.•The grown SiC films contain substantial amount of hydrogen atoms as SiHn/CHn entities.•Presence of CHn entities induces dangling bonds, causing poor electrical properties.