ATOMIC HYDROGEN-INDUCED CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION OF A-SI-C-H THIN-FILM MATERIALS FROM ALKYLSILANE PRECURSORS

Amorphous hydrogenated silicon-carbon films (a-Si:C:H) were produced b y atomic hydrogen-induced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using hexame thyldisilane (HMDS) and tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)silane (TMSS) as a sin gle-source compounds. The CVD process has been examined in terms of th e mechanism of the activation step. The susceptibility of particular b onds in the source compounds towards reaction with atomic hydrogen is characterized. The effect of substrate temperature (T-s) on the deposi tion rate, chemical structure, composition, surface morphology, as wel l as optical properties of the films, such as refractive index, optica l band gap and photoluminescence, has been investigated. The increase of T-s from 30 to 400 degrees C causes the elimination of organic moie ties from the him and the formation of compositionally and morphologic ally homogeneous inorganic material of Si-carbidic structure. The inve stigated optical properties of the film can be controlled by its stoic hiometry or deposition temperature. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.