PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AMORPHOUS SIC-H THIN-FILMS

Silicon carbide films were deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition utilizing monomethylsilane (CH3SiH3). Silicon (100) and polycrystalline gold were used as substrates. A mass spectrometric analysis of the monomethylsilane plasma showed that the majority of the Si-C bonds were preserved in the gas phase. The composition, the density and morphology of the amorphous SiC:H (a:SiC:H) films were studied as a function of substrate temperature, composition of the ion flux bombarding the surface and the kinetic energy of these ions. The surface science techniques utilized for these investigations include X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and Raman spectroscopies.