Effect of incorporation of deuterium on vacancy-type defects of a-C:H films prepared by plasma CVD

Abstract

Amorphous deuterated carbon (a-C:D) films were prepared using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) from CH4/CD4 and CH4/D2 source gases. For CH4/CD4, the gas flow ratio of CD4/(CD4+CH4) was varied from 0 to 100%. For CH4/D2, the additional partial gas pressure of D2 was increased from 1 to 7Pa as the flow rate increased, and the partial gas pressure and the flow rate of CH4 were maintained at 10Pa and 10sccm, respectively. The concentrations of hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) relative to carbon (C) in the films and the film densities were determined by elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). Positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) was performed to measure the vacancy-type defect of the film. The S value obtained from PAS measurement correlates to the vacancy-type defect in the film. The film hardness was also measured using a nanoindenter.For CH4/CD4, the D concentration in the film increased when the CD4/(CH4+CD4) gas ratio increased, whereas the concentration of H decreased. For CH4/D2, the D concentration in the film increased with increasing D2 partial pressure, whereas the concentration of H decreased. From the PAS results, the S value increased with increasing CD4/(CH4+CD4) gas ratio for CH4/CD4, whereas the S value did not change with any D2 partial pressure for CH4/D2. The hardness and the mass density of the films decreased when the CD4/(CH4+CD4) gas ratio increased for CH4/CD4, whereas the hardness and the density did not change with any D2 partial pressure for CH4/D2. A correlation among the S value, the film hardness and the film density was observed, and the S value, the film hardness and the film density did not correlate to the D concentration in the film. These findings suggest that information about the vacancy-type defect of the hydrogenated amorphous carbon films is crucial for evaluation of their mechanical properties and density.