Remote hydrogen microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition from methylsilane precursors. 2. Surface morphology and properties of deposited a-SiC:H films

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 564; pp. 232 - 240
• Main Authors: Wrobel, A.M., Walkiewicz-Pietrzykowska, A., Uznanski, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.08.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adhesion; Chemical vapor deposition; Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced cvd, mocvd, etc.); Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Density; Exact sciences and technology; Friction; Hydrogen plasma; Ion and electron beam-assisted deposition; ion plating; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Methylsilane precursors; Morphology; Optical properties; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges; Plasma applications; Plasma-based ion implantation and deposition; Precursors; Remote hydrogen plasma chemical vapor deposition; Silicon carbide; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surface morphology; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Thin films; Thin films; Silicon carbide; Remote hydrogen plasma chemical vapor deposition; Surface morphology; Optical properties; Methylsilane precursors; Adhesion; Scratching test; Atomic force microscopy; Refractive index; Roughness; Absorption coefficients; Precursor; Energy gap; Absorption band; Surface properties; Absorption spectra; Optical coatings; Protective coatings; Optical absorption; Integrated intensity; Scanning electron microscopy; Mechanical properties; Friction factor; CVD; Transparent material; Microwave discharge; Plasma deposition; Tribology
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2014.04.089

Amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) films produced by remote microwave hydrogen plasma chemical vapor deposition from dimethylsilane and trimethylsilane precursors were characterized in terms of their basic useful properties including surface morphology, conformality of coverage, density, refractive index, optical absorption (absorption coefficient and optical bandgap) adhesion to a substrate, and friction coefficient. The effect of substrate temperature (varied in the range TS=30–400°C) on the properties of a-SiC:H films is reported. In view of the scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy examinations the films were found to be morphologically homogeneous materials exhibiting excellent conformality of coverage and small surface roughness, which drop with rising TS to a small value of 0.9nm at TS=400°C. The relationships between the film compositional and structural parameters, expressed, respectively, by the atomic ratio Si/C, and the relative integrated intensities of the absorption IR band from the SiC bonds (controlled by TS), were determined. Due to their good conformality of coverage, strong adhesion to a substrate, very low friction coefficient, and excellent optical transparency in a wide range of wavelength a-SiC:H films produced from trimethylsilane precursor at high substrate temperature regime (TS=300–400°C) seem to be useful as scratch-resistant protective coatings for optical glass elements and various metal surfaces. •a-SiC:H films were found to exhibit an excellent conformality of coverage.•The effect of structural parameters on the properties of a-SiC:H films is examined.•The increase in the content of Si-carbidic bonds improves a-SiC:H films' properties.