Reactivity of Alkylsilanes and Alkylcarbosilanes in Atomic Hydrogen‐Induced Chemical Vapor Deposition

Abstract

A number of alkylsilanes and alkylcarbosilanes of widely different molecular structure are characterized in terms of their ability to the formation of amorphous hydrogenated silicon-carbon (a-Si:C:H) film in atomic hydrogen-induced chemical vapor deposition. The compounds containing only the Si-C bonds or four-membered carbosilane rings appear to be inactive, while those with the Si-Si or Si-H bonds are capable of the a-Si:C:H film-formation. The reactivity of the latter group of compounds is characterized by the deposition yield parameter determined at the constant and variable feeding rates. Based upon the reactivity data a mechanism for the initiation step is proposed.

Atomic Hydrogen Induced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Silicon Oxycarbide Thin Films Derived from Diethoxymethylsilane Precursor

“…Such a distance allow only long lived species (neutral hydrogen radicals) to interact with a monomeric precursor. [ 24 ] The hydrogen flow was adjusted so that Si‐H moieties were not present in the film deposited on an unheated substrate (indeed Si‐H vibrations are not present in the FTIR spectrum, Figure 2). The flow of 100 sccm also guaranteed that there was no back diffusion and deposition of a source compound on the elements of the plasma section.…”

“…Atomic hydrogen is efficiently generated in microwave hydrogen plasma but film‐forming reactions occur in a free of electromagnetic radiation remote hydrogen plasma (RP) reaction zone. The generated hydrogen radicals are mostly in the ground state, [ 24 ] and are reactive only with hydrosilyl (Si‐H) or disilane groups (Si‐Si), and do not affect the silicon‐oxygen bonds and the silicon‐carbon bonds. This distinguishes the RPCVD process from all direct plasma processes involving also hydrogen atoms.…”

a‐SiC:H Films by Remote Hydrogen Microwave Plasma CVD From Ethylsilane Precursors**

“…The a‐SiC:H films were produced using the RP‐CVD apparatus already presented and described in detail elsewhere . The apparatus consists of three major parts: a plasma‐generation section (made of Pyrex glass tube, 28 mm i.d.)…”

Hard silicon carbonitride thin‐film coatings produced by remote hydrogen plasma chemical vapor deposition using aminosilane and silazane precursors. 1: Deposition mechanism, chemical structure, and surface morphology

“…The RP-CVD system used for the formation of a-SiCN films has been presented and described in detail earlier. [15,16] The apparatus consisted of the plasma generation section fed with hydrogen and coupled with a 2.45-GHz microwave power supply unit, the remote section equipped with a Wood's horn photon trap, and the CVD reactor fed with the precursor vapor and containing the substrate holder equipped with a heater of controlled temperature, which varied in the range of 30-400°C. Films were mostly deposited on a polished side of p-type crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafers at a microwave power input P = 120 W. Before film deposition, the RP-CVD system was cleaned with an argon plasma for 15 min and then evacuated to the pressure of 2.3 Pa using a mechanical oil pump.…”