Electron beam-physical vapor deposition of SiC/SiO2 high emissivity thin film

Deposition and some properties of nanocrystalline, nanocomposite and amorphous carbon-based coatings for tribological applications

In the present work, we report low temperature (<285 °C) RF sputter deposition of silicon dioxide films for microelectronic and MEMS applications. The films were prepared by RF diode sputtering using a 3 inch diameter SiO2 target in argon atmosphere in the pressure range 5–20 mTorr and RF power from 100 to 300 W. The effect of deposition parameters (RF power and sputtering pressure) on various properties such as deposition rate, surface morphology, surface roughness, stress and etch rate of silicon dioxide films are investigated. The deposition parameters are optimized to obtain the films having low surface roughness and minimum stress. Due to the advantage of much lower thermal budget of the sputtering process compared to thermal oxidation, the application of RF-sputtered SiO2 films in IC fabrication is explored. Boron diffusion experiments are conducted using a sputtered SiO2 film as a masking layer. In order to investigate the application of RF-sputtered silicon dioxide films for MEMS, SiO2 microstructures such as bridges and cantilever beams were fabricated using bulk and surface micromachining processes. We also explore silicon wafer bonding using RF-sputtered silicon dioxide films as an intermediate layer.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0960-1317/17/5/029/pdf

Silicon dioxide films by RF sputtering for microelectronic and MEMS applications

In this work, SiC films were deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering onto WC and silicon substrates from a commercial sintered SiC target. After determining the influence of deposition parameters on the properties of the films deposited onto silicon substrates, suitable conditions were chosen to produce high quality 5 μm thick films on WC pieces. Mechanical characterization of the films was done by microhardness and residual stress measurements. High deposition rates (up to 40 nm/min), relatively low compressive residual stresses (

Amorphous SiC coatings for WC cutting tools

Nitrogen doping of polycrystalline 3C-SiC films grown using 1,3-disilabutane in a conventional LPCVD reactor

Silicon carbide films between 2.3 and 3.0 μm were deposited on AISI 304 stainless steel (SS), carbon steel (CS) and crystalline silicon from a SiC target in a magnetron sputtering system. Good mechanical properties were obtained for the films by carefully controlling the deposition parameters. Results of scratch tests revealed that adhesion of the films is a function of deposition parameters and substrate type. Additionally, an influence of substrate preparation prior to deposition was also observed. Critical loads of 20 N, 8 N and 5 N were obtained in case of Si, SS and CS substrates, respectively. Vickers micro-hardness values were between 10 and 30 GPa, films on SS being harder than films on CS. The behavior of the films as corrosion protection barriers in aggressive environments was evaluated by immersion tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Films on SS exhibited a better corrosion resistance than those on CS. Their adhesion to the SS was outstanding, even after a long time of immersion in a HCl 0.8 M solution, showing that they are efficient protection barriers. The corrosion process of the substrates starts at micro-pores present in the films so that corrosion pits all over the surface of the samples can be observed.

T Hirsch

Papers

Magnetron sputtered SiC coatings as corrosion protection barriers for steels