Mechanical properties of individual layers in a-SiC:H multilayer film

journal article - other

English

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon-silicon (a-SiC:H) multilayer film consisting of five soft bilayers (layer A: E=15.4 GPa, H=1.69 GPa; layer B: E=9.63 GPa, H=0.94 GPa) was deposited from tetravinylsilane monomer at two RF powers (10 W, 0.1 W) on silicon wafer by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The multilayer comprising ten layers of 0.13-micron thickness was sectioned at a shallow angle of 4 deg by ultramicrotomy to reveal the individual layers. The layers in the multilayer film were distinguished by the surface topography mode of semicontact atomic force microscopy utilizing the step character in height corresponding to the stiffness of the individual layers and by atomic force acoustic microscopy (AFAM) utilizing the distribution of resonant frequencies corresponding to elastic anisotropy. The sectioned individual layers were sufficiently smooth (RMS roughness: 0.001 micron) to make nanoindentation measurements for each layer. The Youngs modulus E and hardness H were determined for individual layers, enabling us to distinguish a stiffer layer A from a more pliant layer B. An influence of the surrounding layers and substrate on the determined mechanical constants was discussed as well.

atomic force microscopy (AFM); mechanical properties; multilayers; nanoindentation; plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)

ČECH, V.; TRIVEDI, R.; ŠKODA, D.

2011

31. 12. 2011

1612-8850

Plasma Processes and Polymers

8

12

Federal Republic of Germany

1107

1115

9