Predominant influences on the bulk properties and surface morphology in hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide films

Abstract The influence of H2 dilution ratio, gas flow and substrate temperature on the bulk and surface properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide films is discussed. Through infrared and electron spin resonance studies, it is revealed that microstructural heterogeneity can be reduced by controlling surface reactions. On the other hand, atomic force microscopy observations reveal for the first time that surface morphology is dominated by growth rate under supply-limited conditions. This implies that improvement in the bulk properties does not always lead to films with smoother final surfaces. Both surface reaction control and growth rate control are found to be crucial for obtaining films with excellent bulk and surface properties.