Characterization of the surface layer due to oxygen for the hydrogen related C–SiC films

Abstract

The films containing C and about 80%SiC were deposited by R F. magnetron sputtering followed with argon ion beam bombardment to enhance the adhere strength of the substrate and then were introduced hydrogen by using hydrogen ion irradiation or high pressure permeation techniques. XPS was used to investigate the sub-surface of these C–SiC films. The results show that, apart from carbon adsorbing hydrogen, carbon–hydrogen, SiC and Si 1− x C x , contamination by oxygen reacting with Si and C in the films was apparent. Further reaction with hydrogen to form C y –Si–O–H on the sub-surface of the C–SiC films was also shown. Calculation of the concentrations of the different configurations based on Ghosh model shows that different x values in Si 1− x C x and different y values in C y –Si–O–H can be obtained due to different hydrogen introduction methods.