Preparation of nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide thin films by hot-wire CVD at various filament-to-substrate distances

Abstract

Nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide (nc-3C-SiC) thin films were prepared by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition from SiH 4/CH 4/H 2 gases and influences of filament-to-substrate distance, d F–S, and CH 4 gas flow rate, F(CH 4), on structural properties of nc–3C-SiC thin films were investigated. SiC-nanocrystallite growth was enhanced with increasing d F–S form 10 to 26 mm and was prevented with increasing d F–S from 26 to 46 mm. And the crystallinity was improved with increasing F(CH 4) from 1.0 to 1.5 sccm but deteriorated with increasing F(CH 4) from 1.5 to 2.0 sccm. These findings can be explained by the changes in the fluxes of H and CH 3 radicals with d F–S and F(CH 4).