Defect- and H-Free Stoichiometric Silicon Carbide by Thermal CVD from the Single Source Precursor Trisilacyclohexane

Alain E Kaloyeros,Jonathan Goff,Barry Arkles

doi:10.3390/electronicmat3010003

Alain E Kaloyeros, Jonathan Goff + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/electronicmat3010003

Copy DOI

Abstract

Stoichiometric silicon carbide (SiC) thin films were grown using thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD) from the single source precursor 1,3,5-trisilacyclohexane (TSCH) on c-Si (100) substrates within an optimized substrate temperature window ranging from 650 to 850 °C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses revealed that the as-deposited films consisted of a Si-C matrix with a Si:C ratio of ~1:1. FTIR and photoluminescence (PL) spectrometry studies showed that films deposited ≥ 750 °C were defect- and H-free within the detection limit of the techniques used, while ellipsometry measurements yielded an as-grown SiC average refractive index of ~2.7, consistent with the reference value for the 3C-SiC phase. The exceptional quality of the films appears sufficient to overcome limitations associated with structural defects ranging from failure in high voltage, high temperature electronics to 2-D film growth. TSCH, a liquid at room temperature with good structural stability during transport and handling as well as high vapor pressure (~10 torr at 25 °C), provides a viable single source precursor for the growth of stoichiometric SiC without the need for post-deposition thermal treatment.

Highlights

Silicon carbide (SiC) thin films are currently the subject of an intense revival in research and development activities for potential use in diverse emerging technological applications [1,2]
silicon carbide (SiC) enables the fabrication of high-voltage, high-current devices that can be operated at elevated temperatures [6,7,8]; SiC is increasingly used in micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) due to its higher thermal conductivity, higher voltage power, and higher breakdown voltage compared to Si [3]; In nanophotonics, quantum and nonlinear photonics technologies exploit a wide array of SiC properties, including high refractive index, strong second- and third-order optical nonlinearity, and a broad ultra-violet-to-mid-infrared transparency window [9,10,11,12]
The analyses demonstrated a Si-to-C ratio of 1:1, indicating that the as-deposited SiC films are stoichiometric

Summary

Introduction

Silicon carbide (SiC) thin films are currently the subject of an intense revival in research and development activities for potential use in diverse emerging technological applications [1,2]. SiC enables the fabrication of high-voltage, high-current devices that can be operated at elevated temperatures [6,7,8]; SiC is increasingly used in micro-electro-mechanical-systems (MEMS) due to its higher thermal conductivity, higher voltage power, and higher breakdown voltage compared to Si [3]; In nanophotonics, quantum and nonlinear photonics technologies exploit a wide array of SiC properties, including high refractive index, strong second- and third-order optical nonlinearity, and a broad ultra-violet-to-mid-infrared transparency window [9,10,11,12]. They act as excellent passivation and encapsulation layers and/or diffusion and permeation barriers in integrated circuitry (IC)

Methods

Results

Conclusion