Amorphous SixCyN layers prepared from electron cyclotron resonance plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (ECR-PECVD).

ECR-PECVD processes with several activators and diluent gases were performe d to obtain films with carbon and nitrogen at low temperatures. In all case s methane and nitrogen were used as precursors of C and N species. The char acterization of the samples was done using Fourier transform infrared spect roscopy (FTIR) and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The FTIR measurements show t hat the presence of little amounts of silane in the plasma substantially al ters the composition of the films, while the addition of hydrogen has no ap preciable effects in their formation. Moreover, the use of argon or neon as diluent of the gas precursors is closely related to the degree of activati on of the methane molecule, as observed in the optical emission spectra rec orded in every process. The application of rf fields during depositions onl y changes the growth rates.