Structural and chemical analysis of ternary SiC_XN_Y thin films deposited by improved hot filament chemical vapour deposition

Abstract

Silicon carbon nitrogen films were deposited on Si (111) substrate by hot filament chemical vapour deposition technique with a gas mixture of silane, methane and nitrogen. The X-ray diffraction pattern and SEM of the as prepared films indicated that they are new material, which is composed of sharp featured particles. The chemical composition and bonding structure of as deposited films were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, auger electron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. These results show that the atomic concentrations of the three elements remain stable and consistent from the surface to the interior, and the atomic concentrations are 45·91, 31·48 and 22·61% respectively. Moreover, the as formed Si–C, Si–N, C≡N, C = N and C–N chemical bonds suggest the layer is SiC_XN_Y. The results above testify that the thin films prepared by this process are the new SiC_XN_Y material, in which the atomic concentrations of the elements are uniform and stable.

Keywords:

• Silicon carbon nitrogen thin films
• Ternary compound semiconductor
• Hot filament chemical vapour deposition

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Undergraduate Training Programs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (grant no. 201310697002), the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China (grant no. 2014JM8339), the Special Foundation of Education Department of Shaanxi Province (grant no. 12JK053 1), the Northwest University Graduate Innovation and Creativity Funds (grant no. YZZ12098) and the Undergraduate Training Programs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Shaanxi, China (grant no. 0753).