Microwave Plasma Process for SiCN:H Thin Films Synthesis with Composition Varying from SiC:H to SiN:H in H2/N2/Ar/Hexamethyldisilazane Gas Mixture. Issue 6 (19th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Belmahi, Mohammed; Bulou, Simon; Thouvenin, Amanda; de Poucques, Ludovic; Hugon, Robert; Le Brizoual, Laurent; Miska, Patrice; Genève, Damien; Vasseur, Jean‐Luc; Bougdira, Jamal
• Is Part Of: Plasma processes and polymers. Volume 11:Issue 6(2014:Jun.)
• Page Start: 551
• Page End: 558
• Publication Date: 2014-03-19
• Subjects: Plasma polymerization -- Periodicals; Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; Plasma chemistry -- Periodicals
• DOI: 10.1002/ppap.201300166
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1612-8850

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="ppap201300166-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>SiC_{<italic>x</italic>}N_{<italic>y</italic>}:H thin films are obtained with the microwave plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition (MPACVD) method in the gas mixture H₂/Ar/Hexamethyldisilazane. When very few amounts of nitrogen are added to the gas mixture, the film composition changes drastically from SiC_{<italic>x</italic>}:H like films to SiN_{<italic>x</italic>}:H like films, according to X‐rays Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infra‐Red Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The refractive index (<italic>n</italic>) and Tauc's optical gap (<italic>E</italic>_g) are modified over a wide range of values (1.75 ≤ <italic>n</italic> ≤ 2.15 and 3.5 eV ≤ <italic>E</italic>_{<italic>g</italic>} ≤ 5 eV) with nitrogen addition to the feed gas leading to thin films optical constants close to those of SiC or Si₃N₄. Therefore, for the films obtained without nitrogen, SiC nanoparticles with a size of about 20 nm embedded in an amorphous SiCN:H matrix are synthesized, leading to nanocomposite films.<inline-graphic xlink:href="ark:/27927/pghmhk0w7d" content-type="ppap201300166-gra-0001" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" /></p> </sec> </abstract>