Microhardness and other properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide thin films formed by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Identification of the Chemical Bonding Prompting Adhesion of a-C:H Thin Films on Ferrous Alloy Intermediated by a SiCx:H Buffer Layer

“…As will be shown later, the in-depth oxygen profile in the ferrous alloy is quite similar at variable SiC x :H film deposition temperature, indicating that oxygen atoms do not diffuse into the substrate. Regarding the SiC content increasing, we note that many authors have reported similar behaviors on growing hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) and amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC) films. ,− These studies show that the increasing of the substrate temperature during the film growth modifies the surface reactivity by increasing the atoms mobility and thus promoting the formation of more stable compounds containing Si–C bonds . It is interesting to note that the Si–C bonds increasing at higher temperature deposition prompts the material densification by favoring reactions leading to decreasing hydrogen and oxygen contents in the SiC x :H film structure. , Despite the fact that it is not possible to analyze hydrogen bonded to carbon and silicon atoms in the buffer layer structure by XPS, we expect that the hydrogen acts as oxygen, being thermally desorbed at higher temperatures.…”

“…25 It is interesting to note that the Si−C bonds increasing at higher temperature deposition prompts the material densification by favoring reactions leading to decreasing hydrogen and oxygen contents in the SiC x :H film structure. 24,26 Despite the fact that it is not possible to analyze hydrogen bonded to carbon and silicon atoms in the buf fer layer structure by XPS, we expect that the hydrogen acts as oxygen, being thermally desorbed at higher temperatures. Indeed, in a previous work, we show that hydrogen content decreases in such buffer layers on increasing the deposition temperature.…”

Influence of one-fold-coordinated atoms on mechanical properties of covalent networks

“…The microstructure and hardness of stoichiometric SiC films and hydrogenated-SiC films have been examined by El Khakani et al 12 and Bayne et al 16 The NIH of hydrogenfree amorphous SiC films deposited by either laser ablation or by triode sputtering has been established 12,16 to be ϳ30 GPa. On the other hand, films prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of SiH 4 :CH 4 mixtures with argon carrier gas can be compositionally tuned to yield hydrogenated stoichiometric a-SiC:H films containing 27 at.…”

Carbide, Nitride and Boride Materials Synthesis and Processing

“…Although the primary concerns with PECVD films of a-SiC:H are the electrical and optical properties, the hardness of these films is a function of carbon and hydrogen content (Bayne et al, 1983). Generally, hardness in amorphous SiC increases with increasing carbon content and decreasing hydrogen concentration (Figure 23.15).…”