High growth rate of a-SiC:H films using ethane carbon source by HW-CVD method

Abstract

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) thin films were prepared using pure silane (SiH4) and ethane (C2H6), a novel carbon source, without hydrogen dilution using hot wire chemical vapour deposition (HW-CVD) method at low substrate temperature (200 °C) and at reasonably higher deposition rate (19·5 Å/s < r d < 3·2 Å/s). Formation of a-SiC:H films has been confirmed from FTIR, Raman and XPS analysis. Influence of deposition pressure on compositional, structural, optical and electrical properties has been investigated. FTIR spectroscopy analysis revealed that there is decrease in C–H and Si–H bond densities while, Si–C bond density increases with increase in deposition pressure. Total hydrogen content drops from 22·6 to 14·4 at.% when deposition pressure is increased. Raman spectra show increase in structural disorder with increase in deposition pressure. It also confirms the formation of nearly stoichiometric a-SiC:H films. Bandgap calculated using both Tauc’s formulation and absorption at 104 cm−1 shows decreasing trend with increase in deposition pressure. Decrease in refractive index and increase in Urbach energy suggests increase in structural disorder and microvoid density in the films. Finally, it has been concluded that C2H6 can be used as an effective carbon source in HW-CVD method to prepare stoichiometric a-SiC:H films.