AVS 45th International Symposium
    Electronic Materials and Processing Division Thursday Sessions
       Session EM-ThP

Paper EM-ThP14
Study of Pulsed versus Continuous Wave Plasma Deposition of Amorphous, Hydrogenated Silicon Carbide (a-Si@sub1-x@C@sub x@:H) from Silane/Methane Mixtures

Thursday, November 5, 1998, 5:30 pm, Room Hall A

Session: Electronic Materials and Processing Poster Session
Presenter: P.M. McCurdy, Colorado State University
Authors: P.M. McCurdy, Colorado State University
J.M. Truitt, Colorado State University
E.R. Fisher, Colorado State University
Correspondent: Click to Email
Hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-Si@sub 1-x@C@sub x@:H) is an important material because of its current use as a window coating for amorphous Si solar cells and its potential applications in photoelectronics and as a hard coating. Equival ently powered, pulsed and continuous wave (cw) radio-frequency discharges (13.56 MHz) were used to deposit a-Si@sub 1-x@C@sub x@:H films from silane and methane. Deposited films were studied using FTIR, XPS, Raman scattering spectroscopy, scanning electr on microscopy and profillometery. Deposition parameters investigated included pulsed plasma power, duty cycle (d.c.) substrate temperature, substrate bias, and addition of a carrier gas (H@sub 2@, or He). Films deposited from pulsed plasmas show a large decrease in hydrogen incorporation compared to films deposited in equivalently powered CW systems. Notably, there is a significant decrease in modes associated CH@sub 3@ moities. CH@sub 3@ groups have been associated with electrical and mechanical inst abilities of a-Si@sub 1-x@C@sub x@:H films. Grounding the silicon substrate is shown to have a significant effect on both the CW and pulsed plasma deposited films.