Xavier Landreau, Christelle Dublanche-Tixier, Cedric Jaoul, Christophe Le Niniven, Nicolas Lory, Pascal Tristant

Effects of the substrate temperature on the deposition of thin SiO(x) films by atmospheric pressure microwave plasma torch (TIA)

Surface and Coatings Technology 205 (2011) S335-S341

The effect of surface temperature on the deposition of silicon oxide (SiO(x)) films with a non-thermal microwave axial injection torch (TIA) was investigated in an open air reactor. Argon was used as plasma gas and hexamethyldisiloxane (Si(2)O(2)C(6)H(18)) as silicon precursor. The parametric study reported here focuses on the influence of the substrate temperature on the morphological and chemical properties of the films deposited in the interval {[}0 degrees C-130 degrees C]. A similar effect of low and high surface temperature on the deposition process and on the microstructure of the deposited films was highlighted. Macroscopically, particles were promptly produced in the gas phase and incorporated to the film, which generates high surface roughness. Microscopically, FTIR results have shown a high carbon contamination of the deposited films at low and high temperatures, resulting in understoichiometric SiO(x) films. They have also demonstrated that an optimum growth window for smooth and particle free SiO(x) was to keep the surface temperature between 30 and 60 degrees C. Simple reaction mechanisms for powder formation and continuous silicon oxide thin films growth are suggested for each temperature ranges. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This article may also be available to you online

Cited Articles

1. Zajíčková L., Buršíková V., Peřina V., Macková A., Subedi D. P., Janča J.,
   Plasma Modification of Polycarbonates,
   Surface and Coatings Technology 142 (2001) 449–454