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Mechanical Properties of Individual Layers in a‐SiC:H Multilayer Film
Author(s) -
Cech Vladimir,
Trivedi Rutul,
Skoda David
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
plasma processes and polymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1612-8869
pISSN - 1612-8850
DOI - 10.1002/ppap.201100106
Subject(s) - materials science , nanoindentation , wafer , layer (electronics) , composite material , substrate (aquarium) , silicon , chemical vapor deposition , amorphous solid , modulus , elastic modulus , surface finish , crystallography , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , chemistry , oceanography , geology
Hydrogenated amorphous carbon‐silicon (a‐SiC:H) multilayer film consisting of five soft bilayers (layer A: E = 15.4 GPa, H = 1.69 GPa; layer B: E = 9.63 GPa, H = 0.94 GPa) was deposited from tetravinylsilane monomer at two RF powers (10, 0.1 W) on silicon wafer by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The multilayer comprising ten layers of 0.13‐µm thickness was sectioned at a shallow angle of 4° by ultramicrotomy to reveal the individual layers. The layers in the multilayer film were distinguished by the surface topography mode of semicontact atomic force microscopy utilizing the step character in height corresponding to the stiffness of the individual layers and by atomic force acoustic microscopy (AFAM) utilizing the distribution of resonant frequencies corresponding to elastic anisotropy. The sectioned individual layers were sufficiently smooth (roughness: 0.001 µm) to make nanoindentation measurements for each layer. The Young's modulus E and hardness H were determined for individual layers, enabling us to distinguish a stiffer layer A from a more pliant layer B. An influence of the surrounding layers and substrate on the determined mechanical constants was discussed as well.