PHOTOCHEMICAL VAPOR-DEPOSITION OF HYDROGENATED AMORPHOUS SILICON-CARBON THIN-FILMS BY USING A XE-2(ASTERISK) EXCIMER LAMP

High energy photons (172 nm) provided by a Xe-2 excimer lamp were app lied to deposit a-SiC:H thin films on silicon substrates by irradiatin g a gas mixture of C2H2, SiH4 and Ar. The photo-CVD system, the proces sing conditions, film properties and their dependence on the precursor partial pressures and the substrate temperature are presented. Ellips ometric studies revealed that the deposition rate rises gradually with increasing C,H:, partial pressure, but no differences were observed b y changing the silane concentrations. Samples deposited in the substra te temperature range between 353 and 523 K exhibit different porosity grade and density. Carbon and hydrogen content followed by IR spectros copy as a function of precursor gases concentration and substrate temp erature is reported.