Hard silicon carbonitride thin‐film coatings by remote hydrogen plasma chemical vapor deposition using aminosilane and silazane precursors. 2: Physical, optical, and mechanical properties of deposited films

Abstract

Physical, optical, and mechanical properties of silicon carbonitride (a‐SiCN) films produced by remote hydrogen plasma chemical vapor deposition (RP‐CVD) using aminosilane and disilazane precursors are examined in relation to their chemical structure. The films deposited at different temperatures (30–400°C) were characterized in terms of their density, refractive index, optical bandgap, photoluminescence, adhesion to a substrate, hardness, elastic modulus resistance to wear (predicted from the “plasticity index” values), and friction coefficient. Reasonable structural dependencies of film properties were determined using the relative integrated intensities of the infrared absorption bands from the Si−N and Si−C bonds, and the X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy Si2p band from the Si−C bonds (controlled by substrate temperature) evaluated in the first part of this study. In view of their good mechanical properties, a‐SiCN films seem to be useful coatings for improving surface mechanics of engineering materials for advanced technology.

Controlling of Chemical Bonding Structure, Wettability, Optical Characteristics of SiCN:H (SiC:H) Films Produced by PECVD Using Tetramethylsilane and Ammonia Mixture

“…The band gap was estimated using the results of a UV-Vis spectroscopy by Tauc's equation: αhν = B(hν − E g ) n , where α is the absorption coefficient, hν is the incident photon energy, B is the dimensionless density of states constant and n is the parameter related to the density of states distribution [37]. The value of n was chosen as 2, that is characteristic for SiCN films [17]. The deposition temperature dependences of optical bandgap are presented in Figure 4c.…”

“…The variety of organosilicon precursors includes commercially available compounds, such as tetramethylsilane [5][6][7], hexamethyldisilazane [8,9], and tetramethyldisilazane [10,11]. The novel substances of organosilanes, silazanes, aminosilazanes or carbodiimides, such as hexamethylcyclotrisilazane [12], bis(trimethylsilyl)ethylamine [13], bis(trimethylsilyl)phenylamine [14], 1,3-bis(dimethylsilyl)-2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclodisilazane [12], N-methyl-aza-2.2.4-trimethylsilacyclopentane [15], and bis(tetramethylguanidine)dimethylsilane [16], (dimethylamino)dimethylsilane [17], tris (dimethylamino)silane [17], bis(dimethylamino)methylsilane [18], methyltris(diethylamino) silane [19], tris(diethylamino)silane [20], and tris(dimethylamino)silane [21], bis(trimethylsilyl) carbodiimide [22] and dimethyl(2,2-dimethylhydrazino)silane [23], are also regarded as potential precursors for silicon carbonitride film synthesis for different applications. In the review [24], we considered the relationship between the structure of the precursor molecule and the nature of the bonds present in the films deposited with its participation.…”

Amorphous silicon carbonitride (a‐SiCN) thin film coatings by remote plasma chemical vapor deposition using organosilicon precursor: Effect of substrate temperature

“…For comparison, the density values reported for a-SiCN films produced by remote hydrogen plasma CVD from (dimethylamino)dimethylsiane (DMADMS), [52] bis(dimethyamino)methylsilane (BDMAMS), [62] and TDMAS [51] are ρ = 2.5 g/cm 3 (T S = 300-400°C), ρ = 2.6-3.2 g/cm 3 (T S = 300-400°C), and ρ = 3.0 g/cm 3 (T S = 350°C), respectively. The density of the film deposited by remote nitrogen plasma CVD from BDMAMS [43] at T S = 300°C was ρ = 2.4 g/cm 3 . The a-SiCN films produced by DP-CVD from HMDSN-H 2 mixture at T S = 250-350°C [12] and diethylsilane-NH 3 mixture at T S = 150-300°C [63] reveal lower densities: ρ = 1.95-2.27 g/cm 3 and ρ = 1.8-2.1 g/cm 3 , respectively.…”

“…[41] In recent papers we have summarized the most important results of our study, on the formation of a-SiCN films of very useful properties by remote microwave hydrogen plasma CVD using methylsilazane and methylaminosilane precursors and hydrogen as an upstream gas for plasma generation. [42,43] The aim of these reviews was to show the effect of molecular structure of the precursor on the chemical structure and properties of resulting a-SiCN films.…”

Amorphous silicon carbonitride a‐SiCN thin film coatings by remote plasma chemical vapor deposition using organosilicon precursor: Effect of plasma composition

“…In recent papers, we have summarized the most important results of our study, which proved that the methylsilazane and methylaminosilane compounds are suitable precursors for the production of a‐SiCN films of very useful properties, by using the remote microwave plasma CVD technique and hydrogen as an upstream gas for plasma generation. [ 38,39 ]…”