This paper describes the deposition and properties of amorphous silicon car
bide thin films, prepared by the low pressure chemical vapour deposition (L
PCVD) technique at different temperatures (700-1000 degrees C), using hexam
ethyldisilane as precursor. Films composition, morphology, structure and el
ectric properties as a function of different deposition conditions were est
ablished. Two basic applications, such as the use of a-SiC films as etching
mask layers for sensors silicon membrane fabrication and as active layers
for field emission devices are reported and discussed in correlation with f
ilm properties. Silicon carbide films were patterned by dry etching process
in a plasma barrel reactor, using CF4 + O-2 as gas feed. The upper limits
of the field emission current densities obtained from a-SiC layers were 2.4
mA/cm(2) for the electric field of 25 V/mu m.