NANOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SIC FILMS GROWN FROM C-60 PRECURSORS USING ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY

The mechanical properties of SiC films grown via C-60 precursors were determined using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Conventional silicon n itride and diamond-tipped steel AFM cantilevers were employed to deter mine the film hardness, friction coefficient, and elastic modulus. The hardness is found to be 26 GPa by nanoindentation of the film with a Berkovich diamond tip. The friction coefficient for the silicon nitrid e tip on the SiC film is about one half to one third that for silicon nitride sliding on a silicon substrate. By combining nanoindentation a nd AFM measurements an elastic modulus of similar to 300 GPa is estima ted for these SiC films.