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Microwave Plasma Process for SiCN:H Thin Films Synthesis with Composition Varying from SiC:H to SiN:H in H 2 /N 2 /Ar/Hexamethyldisilazane Gas Mixture
Author(s) -
Belmahi Mohammed,
Bulou Simon,
Thouvenin Amanda,
de Poucques Ludovic,
Hugon Robert,
Le Brizoual Laurent,
Miska Patrice,
Genève Damien,
Vasseur JeanLuc,
Bougdira Jamal
Publication year - 2014
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.201300166
Subject(s) - x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , analytical chemistry (journal) , amorphous solid , thin film , materials science , nitrogen , chemical vapor deposition , plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition , nanocomposite , spectroscopy , refractive index , chemistry , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , crystallography , organic chemistry , physics , engineering , optoelectronics , quantum mechanics
SiC x N y :H thin films are obtained with the microwave plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition (MPACVD) method in the gas mixture H 2 /Ar/Hexamethyldisilazane. When very few amounts of nitrogen are added to the gas mixture, the film composition changes drastically from SiC x :H like films to SiN x :H like films, according to X‐rays Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infra‐Red Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The refractive index ( n ) and Tauc's optical gap ( E g ) are modified over a wide range of values (1.75 ≤ n ≤ 2.15 and 3.5 eV ≤ E g ≤ 5 eV) with nitrogen addition to the feed gas leading to thin films optical constants close to those of SiC or Si 3 N 4 . 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.