Comparative study of properties between a-GeC:H and a-SiC:H films prepared by radio-frequency reactive sputtering in methane

Abstract

Articles you may be interested inSynthesis and characterization of SiC:H ultrafine powder generated in an argon-silane-methane lowpressure radio-frequency discharge Indium nitride thin films prepared by radiofrequency reactive sputtering Hydrogenated amorphous germanium-carbon (a-GeC:H) and silicon-carbon (a-SiC:H) films were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering of Ge and Si targets in a methane argon gas mixture. The effect of rf power on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of the films was investigated. The carbon content in a-SiC:H films is larger than in a-GeC:H for the same deposition condition, and it decreases with increasing rf power. The intensity of the carbon-related bonds, the optical band gap, and the activation energy of dc conductivity of both films decreases with decreasing carbon content. The temperature dependence of dc conductivity of a-SiC:H exhibits activated-type conduction, whereas hopping conduction is predominant in a-GeC:H. Hydrogen concentration and H bonding ratio are examined, indicating that the termination of the dangling bond by hydrogen is more effective in a a-SiC:H films than a-GeC:H films. 0 1995 American Institute of Physics.

Optoelectronic and structural properties of a-Ge1−xCx:H prepared by rf reactive cosputtering

“…However, some optical, electrical, and structural properties have already been reported for films prepared, under different conditions, by chemical vapor deposition, 9,10 activated reactive evaporation ͑ARE͒, 11,12 laser ablation, 13 glow discharge, [14][15][16][17][18] magnetron, and rf sputtering. [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] Recently, Drusedau and co-workers 29 have shown the most extensive studies on a-Ge 1Ϫx C x :H alloys. Films of (SiC) x Ge 1Ϫx :H 33 and superlattices of a-SiC:H/a-GeC:H 34 have also been studied.…”

Micro‐ and nanomechanical structures for silicon carbide MEMS and NEMS

“…Other work [131] featuring the same a-SiC deposition technique centered on elevating the target temperature as well as varying Ar pressures, with subsequent studies focused on annealing [132]. In addition to these examples, PVD-based variants include reactive magnetron sputtering in hydrogen with a heated substrate [130], RF reactive sputtering in CH 4 [135], triode sputtering [111,129], laser ablation [111,113,136], pulsed laser deposition [112], molecular beam epitaxy [137], and ion-beam synthesis [137].…”

Chemical bonding and optical properties of germanium–carbon alloy films prepared by magnetron co-sputtering as a function of substrate temperature

“…For example, the refractive index and optical gap can be varied in a wide range with the ratio of C and Ge, which makes it a good candidate as the antireflection and protection coating of infrared windows [1,2]. The films can be prepared using the different deposition methods, such as activated reactive evaporation (ARE) [3], plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition [4,5], reactive magnetron sputtering [6,7] and glow discharge [8]. However, a great deal of hydrogen content from the precursors has been remained in the films.…”