AVS 47th International Symposium
    Thin Films Tuesday Sessions
       Session TF-TuP

Paper TF-TuP17
Effect of Pulsing in Dual-mode Microwave/Radio Frequency Plasma on the Growth of SiN@sub 1.3@ Optical and Protective Coatings

Tuesday, October 3, 2000, 5:30 pm, Room Exhibit Hall C & D

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: R. Vernhes, Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal, Canada
Authors: R. Vernhes, Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal, Canada
O. Zabeida, Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal, Canada
J.E. Klemberg-Sapieha, Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal, Canada
L. Martinu, Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal, Canada
Correspondent: Click to Email
Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is becoming increasingly attractive for the fabrication of optical films and coatings. The main reason is a possibility to obtain suitable optical, mechanical, permeation barrier and other functional characteristics when depositing on temperature-sensitive substrates such as polymers. In the present work, we deposited amorphous hydrogenated silicon nitride (SiN@sub 1.3@) in dual-mode microwave/radio frequency (MW/rf, 2.45 GHz / 13.56 MHz) discharge using a silane - ammonia mixture. We systematically studied the effect of MW and rf power modulation, namely the effect of pulsing frequency, duty cycle, and pulse synchronization on the optical (refractive index, extinction coefficient), mechanical (stress, microhardness, adhesion, etc.) and microstructural characteristics (concentration of hydrogen, chemical bonding, sutface morphology etc.). Using time- and mass-resolved ion energy analysis, we determined the effect of dissipated power and self-bias potential on the instantaneous ion energy distribution functions and on the energetics of the film growth. We found that, depending on rf matching, two distinct modes of operating the pulsed MW/rf discharge are possible, namely (i) when rf power is delivered during MW pulse, and (ii) when it is delivered between MW pulses. We discuss the possibilities to match in one design the optical and mechanical properties necessary to obtain enhanced film system stability for advanced optical and optoelectronic applications.