Electrical and chemical characterization of a-C:H prepared by rf glow discharge

Abstract

Electron and chemical kinetics in methane rf glowdischarge deposition plasmasElectrical characterization of rf glow discharges using an operating impedance bridge Presented are the results of a systematic study of the effects of reactor pressure and rf power level on the electrical and chemical characteristics of a-C:H films prepared by glow discharge. Electrical resistivity has been found to increase rapidly with decreasing reactor pressure. This increase in electrical resistivity corresponded to an increase in the sp3 bonding content of the film. This composition change has been attributed to increased ion bombardment energy and greater time for adatom surface migration. Electrical resistivity decreased with rf power level. The sp2 bonding content of the film decreased while the sp3 bonding content increased with rf power level. The resistivity change and corresponding composition change could not be explained with the present model.

Thermal stability of plasma deposited thin films of hydrogenated carbon–nitrogen alloys

“…4, which shows no strong sharp absorption bands in the region of 950-650 26 in that for films containing aromatic structures, sharp bands are observed from 950 to 650 cm Ϫ1 in addition to a broad band at 1600 cm Ϫ1 and a sharp intense absorption band centered around 3050 cm Ϫ1 which is assigned to the aromatic CH stretching vibration mode. 20,24,26 For nonaromatic films that contain CC double bonds, the 1600 cm Ϫ1 band is not accompanied by sharp bands in the 950-650 cm Ϫ1 region or at 3050 cm Ϫ1 , as seen in these films. This fact offers evidence that sixfold aromatic structures are not major components in these polymeric films.…”

“…Fourier transform infrared ͑FTIR͒ spectroscopy has historically been a preferred tool for the characterization of a-C:H:͑N) films, and its use has given rise to an extensive amount of work reported in the literature over the last two decades, 5,13,[18][19][20][21][22][23][24] and is used in this study.…”