Bonding properties of glow-discharge polycrystalline and amorphous Si-C films studied by x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Abstract

Polycrystalline and amorphous Si-C films were prepared by rf glow-discharge decomposition of silane-methane mixtures at 700 °C. We have demonstrated that polycrystalline SiC films with large grains grow under heavy hydrogen dilution. The bonding properties as a function of film composition and hydrogen dilution were characterized by means of x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Crystallization takes place at around C content x=0.5 in Si1−xCx, accompanying some segregation of carbon atoms in grain boundaries, as a result of a preference for heteronuclear bonds. It was shown that C-C(C3−nSin) (n=0–3) bonds appear in the carbidic phase of C-rich films, leading to occurrence of compressive strain in the crystalline SiC grains. In addition, effects of hydrogen dilution were discussed in correlation with the strain.