title: Homogeneous nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide films prepared by inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition.
abstract: Silicon carbide films with different carbon concentrations x(C) have been synthesized by inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition from a SiH(4)/CH(4)/H(2) gas mixture at a low substrate temperature of 500 °C. The characteristics of the films were studied by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Our experimental results show that, at x(C) = 49 at.%, the film is made up of homogeneous nanocrystalline cubic silicon carbide without any phase of silicon, graphite, or diamond crystallites/clusters. The average size of SiC crystallites is approximately 6 nm. At a lower value of x(C), polycrystalline silicon and amorphous silicon carbide coexist in the films. At a higher value of x(C), amorphous carbon and silicon carbide coexist in the films.
authors: Plasma Sources and Applications Center, NIE, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637616, Singapore. Institute of Advanced Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637616, Singapore.
authors: Qijin
authors: Q
authors: Cheng
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Xu
authors: Jidong
authors: J
authors: Long
authors: Shiyong
authors: S
authors: Huang
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Guo