Magnetron Sputtering Fabricated Sic Films And Their Field Emission Related Characteristics

Energy Sources, materials and information related science are forerunners and supporters of the new technology revolution. As a kind of special style material, solid functional films are widely applied in high and new technology situation, such as nano-electronics, micro-electronics, photo- electronics, magnetronics, high-sensibility sensors, and economical, high- efficiency, large-area solar cells etc. With the excellent performances of mechanics, electronics, thermodynamics, photonics etc., SiC films have great application potencial in the field of high-temperature, high-frequency, high- power, anti-radiation, etc., which become the prior choice of new generation of wide band gap semiconductor materials and devices with extreme properties and capable applied in extreme situations.Firstly, the peculiar structural, physi-chemical and electronical characteristics of wide band SiC semiconductor were summary introduced. The international research situation, achievements and existing problems related to SiC bulk and film growth, field emission properties and related devices were summarized. The research direction, contents and goals of the thesis were determined.Secondly, based on fully comprehending and mastering the film fabrication methods, SiC films with compact structure, high purity, and good adhension were fabricated by magnetron sputtering deposition (MS). The SiC films were layer by layer hetero-epitaxial grown on Si substrates under the optimal MS technique condition, and according to the film growth mechanism of non-spontaneous core formation, atoms transference and continuous growth.Thirdly, based on fully comprehending and mastering the film characterization methods, the physical characteristics of magnetron sputtered SiC films were generally measured and analyzed by advanced measurements, including SEM, AFM, XRD, EDS, etc. The optimal technique condition for magnetron sputtering SiC/Si film deposition were more verified as 100~ 150W DC sputtering power, and 400~600℃substrate temperature under the situation of 55 mm target-substrate distance and 2.0 Pa sputtering pressure. At the same time, the conducting mechanism of short-range jumping between the fixed-region status related to the MS SiC films were concluded and experimetally analyzed according to the theory of amorphous and polycrystal semiconductor physics. The average electronic activation energy of phonon assised jumping between the fixed-region status was ?W≈0.015 eV.Finally, based on semiconductor field emission mechanism and theory, and by field emission measurement equipment with super-high vacuum, the field emission properties of and other effects on MS SiC films were com- prehensively measured and analyzed. The optimal field emission parameters for MS SiC films were as follows: The open field (defined as current density reliably identified from the background noise) was 3.5 V/μm. The threshold field (defined as the field when the emission current density is 0.05 mA/cm2) was 5.6 V/μm. The emission current density was achieved to 0.71 mA/cm2 with the applied field of 10 V/μm. Work function (potential height) was about 1.613 eV. The MS SiC films were with excellent field emission capability.