Annealing behavior and hardness enhancement of amorphous SiCN thin films

S. L. Ma; B. Xu; K. W. Xu; X. L. Wu; Paul K. Chu

doi:10.1116/1.2764080

Annealing behavior and hardness enhancement of amorphous SiCN thin films

S. L. Ma
, B. Xu
, K. W. Xu
, X. L. Wu
, Paul K. Chu

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Amorphous silicon carbon nitrogen (SiCN) films deposited on stainless steel by radio frequency magnetron sputtering are annealed at different temperatures in hydrogen to investigate the phase transformation kinetics and the impact on film hardness. The SiCN films with polycrystalline structure are formed after annealing at 900 °C and the polycrystalline structures contain SiC, Si3 N4, and C3 N4 phases. The polycrystalline transformation is discussed using a thermodynamics mechanism. Our results reveal that the emergence of homogeneous particle reinforced composite SiCN structure and polycrystalline phases related to SiC, Si3 N4, and C3 N4 may be responsible for the hardness enhancement of the annealed SiCN films. © 2007 American Vacuum Society.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1407-1410
Journal	Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces and Films
Volume	25
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1116/1.2764080
Publication status	Published - 2007

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title = "Annealing behavior and hardness enhancement of amorphous SiCN thin films",

abstract = "Amorphous silicon carbon nitrogen (SiCN) films deposited on stainless steel by radio frequency magnetron sputtering are annealed at different temperatures in hydrogen to investigate the phase transformation kinetics and the impact on film hardness. The SiCN films with polycrystalline structure are formed after annealing at 900 °C and the polycrystalline structures contain SiC, Si3 N4, and C3 N4 phases. The polycrystalline transformation is discussed using a thermodynamics mechanism. Our results reveal that the emergence of homogeneous particle reinforced composite SiCN structure and polycrystalline phases related to SiC, Si3 N4, and C3 N4 may be responsible for the hardness enhancement of the annealed SiCN films. {\textcopyright} 2007 American Vacuum Society.",

author = "Ma, \{S. L.\} and B. Xu and Xu, \{K. W.\} and Wu, \{X. L.\} and Chu, \{Paul K.\}",

year = "2007",

doi = "10.1116/1.2764080",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "1407--1410",

journal = "Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces and Films",

issn = "0734-2101",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Annealing behavior and hardness enhancement of amorphous SiCN thin films

AU - Ma, S. L.

AU - Xu, B.

AU - Xu, K. W.

AU - Wu, X. L.

AU - Chu, Paul K.

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - Amorphous silicon carbon nitrogen (SiCN) films deposited on stainless steel by radio frequency magnetron sputtering are annealed at different temperatures in hydrogen to investigate the phase transformation kinetics and the impact on film hardness. The SiCN films with polycrystalline structure are formed after annealing at 900 °C and the polycrystalline structures contain SiC, Si3 N4, and C3 N4 phases. The polycrystalline transformation is discussed using a thermodynamics mechanism. Our results reveal that the emergence of homogeneous particle reinforced composite SiCN structure and polycrystalline phases related to SiC, Si3 N4, and C3 N4 may be responsible for the hardness enhancement of the annealed SiCN films. © 2007 American Vacuum Society.

AB - Amorphous silicon carbon nitrogen (SiCN) films deposited on stainless steel by radio frequency magnetron sputtering are annealed at different temperatures in hydrogen to investigate the phase transformation kinetics and the impact on film hardness. The SiCN films with polycrystalline structure are formed after annealing at 900 °C and the polycrystalline structures contain SiC, Si3 N4, and C3 N4 phases. The polycrystalline transformation is discussed using a thermodynamics mechanism. Our results reveal that the emergence of homogeneous particle reinforced composite SiCN structure and polycrystalline phases related to SiC, Si3 N4, and C3 N4 may be responsible for the hardness enhancement of the annealed SiCN films. © 2007 American Vacuum Society.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/34548220410

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-34548220410&origin=recordpage

U2 - 10.1116/1.2764080

DO - 10.1116/1.2764080

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 0734-2101

VL - 25

SP - 1407

EP - 1410

JO - Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces and Films

JF - Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces and Films

IS - 5

ER -

Annealing behavior and hardness enhancement of amorphous SiCN thin films

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