LPCVD Fabrication Of A-Si_1-xC_x:H Thin Films And Its Structural Characterizations

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide films (a-Si_1-xC_x:H) have been successfullydeposited on Si(100) surface by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) with CH4and SiH₄ as reaction gases. The effects of deposited parameters on the films growth rate arestudied. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),scanning electronic microscopy (SEM),atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-raydiffraction (XRD) are employed to analyze the compositions and structural characterizationsof as-deposited films,and the growth mechanisms of a-Si_1-xC_x:H are also discussed. Theresults indicate that the substrate temperature and reactive gas rates ([CH4]/[SiH4]) play a keyrole in the composition and structure of a-Si_1-xC_x:H films. The transformations fromamorphous structure to nanostructure are achieved by optimization of the depositedparameters. The dependence of annealing temperature and annealing time on the conductanceof as-deposited films are also studied. The results show that the electrical resistivity is relatedto the activation and concentration of B,crystallization and structures of films.