Formation of silicon carbide and silicon carbonitride by RF-plasma CVD

Abstract

Numerous experimental studies have been performed to investigate the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of silicon carbide with several organometallic precursors, the most widely used being methyltrichlorosilane (MTS). Usually the CVD process is carried out to achieve layers on different substrates as wear resistant coatings or for electronic applications, but also silicon carbide or silicon carbonitride powders are of technological importance as matrix composites to form multicomponent ceramics. Such composites can be used as sintering materials for high duty ceramics due to their high thermal stability and chemical resistance. We investigated the formation of silicon carbide and silicon carbonitride deposits from methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) in an argon- and nitrogen-RF-plasma discharge CVD process with respect to the process parameters. The deposits were merely formed in the gas phase and characterized with SEM, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy to gain information of their morphology, crystallinity and composition with regard to the deposition parameters.