Synthesis of silicon carbide thin films with polycarbosilane (PCS)

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Journal of the American Ceramic Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1151-2916.1997.tb03124.x· OSTI ID:554019

Colombo, P ^[1]; Paulson, T E; Pantano, C G ^[2]

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1. Univ. di Padova (Italy). Dept. di Ingegneria Meccanica-Settore Materiali
2. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering

Polycarbosilane (PCS) thin films were deposited on silicon (and other) substrates and heat treated under vacuum ({approximately}10{sup {minus}6} torr) at temperatures in the range of 200--1,200 C. At temperatures in the range of 1,000--1,200 C, the initially amorphous PCS films transformed to polycrystalline {beta}-silicon carbide ({beta}-SiC). Although PCS films could be deposited at thickness up to 2 {micro}m, the films with thicknesses >1 {micro}m could not be transformed to SiC without extensive cracking. The resulting SiC coatings were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, glancing-angle X-ray diffractometry, secondary-ion mass spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The temperature and time dependence of the amorphous-to-crystalline transition could be associated with the evolution of free carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen in the films.

• Sponsoring Organization: Office of Naval Research, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 554019
• Journal Information: Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Journal Name: Journal of the American Ceramic Society Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 80; ISSN 0002-7820; ISSN JACTAW
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTALLIZATION
HIGH VACUUM
MICROSTRUCTURE
PYROLYSIS
SILANES
SILICON CARBIDES
SYNTHESIS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 1000-4000 K
THIN FILMS
TIME DEPENDENCE