Effects of high-temperature annealing on the structure of reactive sputtering a-SiC : H films

Effects of annealing temperature on the structure of amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) films prepared by a reactive sputtering method a re investigated by using infrared transmission, Raman scattering and X-ray diffraction techniques. It is found that an annealing process results in st ructural rearrangement and evacuation of hydrogen atoms from CHn, and SiHn bonds. The amorphous phase transforms into the microcrystalline 6H-SiC phas e at an annealing temperature of approximately 1073 K, lower than the trans formation temperature of 1473 K for a-SiC:H films deposited by chemical vap or deposition methods. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.