IDEA #13AN97 SiCN films for semiconductor devices

SiCN films for semiconductor devices Description of and thin preparation We have developed a PECVD (plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition) method for the and nanostructured Si-C-N films that exhibit unique optical properties. Hexamethyldisilazane is used as the main liquid precursor that is produced in Ukraine. mechanical amorphous The PECVD installation is shown in Fig. 1. The developed technology enables one to deposit the films at different temperatures (up to 800 0C) on various substrates including flexible ones. Figure 2. Amorphous Si-C-N coatings deposited on glass (top row) and single-crystal silicon (bottom row) A low (RMS = 0,1-0.3 nm) roughness of the surface of the developed Si-C-N films is important for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), systems (NEMS), and optical devices. nanoelectromechanical investigates that amorphous SiCN films exhibit bright blue photoluminescence (cf. Fig. 3) . showed have Our Figure 3 .Bright blue photoluminescence of Si- C-N films. Figure 1. PECVD equipment The developed films are transparent in the infrared and visible range (up to 98%) (cf. Fig. 2). Si-C-N films have the nanohardness up to 34 GPa and high abrasive wear resistance. Si-C-N films as protective coatings on Si single crystal increase its abrasive wear resistance more than 5 times. The developed Si-C-N films can be used in optical devices, particularly as a protective coating. For instance, the most of IR windows are made from such materials as ZnS, ZnSe, and Ge. But these materials have low hardness and are brittle. The protective coatings based on amorphous Si-C-N solve this problem. The films is promising for an application in LEDs due to their bright blue photoluminescence. The high hardmness and low surface roughness make them suitable for the use in MEMS and NEMS. The protective Si-C-N layers are oilphobic, and therefore, they can be use for covering cell phones and other devices as protective cover. Stage of Development All the film characteristics presented here have been obtained with good repeatability.. Work on the development of this technology was fulfilled under the auspices of the STCU Contracts No.551, 1590, 1591, 4682, 5539, CRDF Contract UK-U2-2589-KV-04. Contact Addresses: Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Material Science, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Department of Material Science of Refractory Compounds, Krzhyzhanovsky Str. 3, 03142, Kyiv, Ukraine. Tel. +38 044 3901135 Fax: +38 044 4242131 Contact persons: Dr.Volodymyr I. Ivashchenko, Tel. +38 050 1442687 Fax: +38 044 4242131 E-mail: Dr. Oleksandr Porada Tel.+38 0674437873 ivashchenko@icnanotox.org The developed amorphous Si-C-N films are thermostable. The hardness, elastic modulus and surface roughness of the films deposited on silicon wafers did not change practically after two-hour vacuum annealing at temperatures up to 1000- 1200 0C. The protective Si-C-N layers are oilphobic and do not leave fingerprints. Innovative Aspect and Main Advantages the cheap • We have developed a PECVD method of the deposition of thin films based on the amorphous Si-C-N that have unique optical and mechanical properties. The developed technology is very cheap, since it is energy saved and liquid precursor, hexamethyldisilazane produced in Ukraine, is used.. • The amorphous Si-C-N films exhibit bright blue photoemission. • The high thermostability of amorphous Si-C-N films (up to 1200 °C) enables one to hold high mechanical performance unchanged. • The developed films are transparent in the infrared and visible range (up to 98%). • The films are promising as protective and oleophobic coatings. Area of Application The developed Si-C-N films can be used in the optical devices that operate under extreme conditions as protective coatings.