Characterization of PECVD a-C:H:Si:O:Cl films

Thin films were produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of tetramethylsilane, chloroform, and argon mixtures. The partial pressure of chloroform in the chamber feed, CCl, was varied from 0% to 40%. Amorphous hydrogenated carbon films also containing silicon, oxygen, and small amounts o...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of vacuum science & technology. A, Vacuum, surfaces, and films Vacuum, surfaces, and films, 2017-07, Vol.35 (4)
Main Authors: Rossi, Diego, Landers, Richard, Bortoleto, José R. R., Durrant, Steven F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Thin films were produced by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of tetramethylsilane, chloroform, and argon mixtures. The partial pressure of chloroform in the chamber feed, CCl, was varied from 0% to 40%. Amorphous hydrogenated carbon films also containing silicon, oxygen, and small amounts of chlorine, a-C:H:Si:O:Cl, were produced at deposition rates of up to about 220 nm min−1 (for a CCl of 40%). Transmission infrared analyses revealed the presence of OH groups in chlorinated films, along with, among others, CH, C=C, Si-CH, Si-CH2, and Si-O-Si groups. As revealed by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, the films could be doped with chlorine to a maximum of about 3 at. %. Surface morphology and roughness were examined using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Tauc band gaps, calculated from transmission ultraviolet–visible near infrared spectra, tend to decrease from ∼3.4 eV for unchlorinated films to around 2.5 eV for those doped with chlorine.
ISSN:0734-2101
1520-8559
DOI:10.1116/1.4982711