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http://hdl.handle.net/11375/13030
Title: | A Study of the Mechanical Properties of Silicon-Based Thin Films Deposited by ECR-PECVD and ICP-CVD |
Authors: | Taggart, Owen |
Advisor: | Mascher, Peter Turak, Ayse |
Department: | Engineering Physics |
Keywords: | Silicon;Hardness;Modulus;Film;Nanoindentation;PECVD;Nanoscience and Nanotechnology;Nanoscience and Nanotechnology |
Publication Date: | Oct-2013 |
Abstract: | <p>Silicon-based dielectric thin films including amorphous hydrogenated aluminium-doped silicon oxides (<em>a-</em>SiAl<sub>x</sub>O<sub>y</sub>:H), amorphous hydrogenated silicon nitrides (<em>a-</em>SiN<sub>x</sub>:H), and amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbides (<em>a-</em>SiC<sub>x</sub>:H) were deposited by remote plasma chemical vapour deposition (RPECVD) techniques including electron cyclotron resonance plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (ECR-PECVD) and inductively-coupled-plasma chemical vapour deposition (ICP-CVD) on silicon (Si) wafers, soda-lime glass microscope slides, and glassy carbon (C) plates. Aluminium (Al) in the SiAlO films was incorporated by way of a metalorganic Al(TMHD)<sub>3</sub> precursor.</p> <p>Thickness, refractive index, and growth rate of the films were measured using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE). Film composition was measured using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for the SiAlO films and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) for the SiC<sub>x</sub> films. Elastic modulus and hardness of the SiAlO and SiC<sub>x</sub> films were measured using nanoindentation and their adhesion was characterized via progressive load scratch testing.</p> <p>All films were observed to be optically transparent at near-IR and red wavelengths with many SiN<sub>x</sub> and SiC<sub>x</sub> films exhibiting significant optical absorption above 2.25eV. Modification of a previously developed deposition recipe produced doubled growth rates in SiN<sub>x</sub> and SiC<sub>x </sub>films. SiAlO films were produced with up to 1.6±0.1at% aluninium (Al) incorporation, while SiC<sub>x</sub> films with composition ranging from SiC<sub>0.25</sub>:H to SiC<sub>2</sub>:H could be produced depending on the growth gas flow ratios. SiAlO films exhibited hardness and reduced modulus (<em>H</em> and <em>E</em>) up to 8.2±0.4 and 75±2GPa, respectively; <em>H </em>and <em>E</em> for the SiC<sub>x </sub>filmsreached 11.9±0.2 and 87±3 GPa. Initially, adhesion to Si wafers was extremely poor with films delaminating at loads of 1.5±0.3N when scratched with a 3/16” alumina (Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) sphere; implementation of a rigorous pre-deposition surface cleaning procedure produced films showing only cracking and no delamination up to 30N loads vs. a 200μm radius Rockwell C diamond stylus.</p> |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11375/13030 |
Identifier: | opendissertations/7864 8909 4181913 |
Appears in Collections: | Open Access Dissertations and Theses |
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fulltext.pdf | 3.65 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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