A transparent boron-nitrogen thin film formed by plasma CVD out of the discharge region

A transparent boron-nitrogen thin film of thickness 550 nm was successfully deposited out of the discharge region by rf plasma CVD. The deposition was performed with diborane (4.8 vol % in N₂) as the reactant gas and argon as the carrier gas by an inductively coupled reactor at a frequency of 13.56 MHz. The transparent films could be obtained at a low pressure of about 30 Pa, at a discharge power level of 30 W, and at room temperature without heating the substrate. The thin films obtained by rf plasma are compared with those obtained by microwave plasma. Both the refractive index and the deposition rate for the films deposited by microwave plasma are discussed according to the deposition conditions.     

Ellipsometric examination of electrically conductive films of poly(2,5-thiophenediyl)

A polymer film formed by anodic oxidation of thiophene in acetonitrile on platinum at 2.08 V was examined by ellipsometry. The refraction index and absorption index were determined as a function of the wavelengths. The optical thickness was determined and compared with the electrical charge. Stoichiometric film growth by a two-electron reaction followed this comparison. The film properties studied were almost independent of the potential between −0.1 and +2.08 V. The time dependence of the ellipsometric parameter showed the film growth to be approximately linear with square root of time, typical for a diffusion controlled reaction.     

金微盘电极的加工和表征

微电极具有常规电极无法比拟的优良的电化学特性^[1,2].它包括单微电极和微电极阵列, 其中单微电极的整体尺寸小, 可用于微区分析研究. 目前微盘电极的工艺改善目标主要包括: 电极整体尺寸小、 电极材料和绝缘层之间的粘附性高及电极具有明确的和可重复的形状和尺寸等^[3]方面.     

Ellipsometric characterization of inhomogeneous non‐stoichiometric silicon nitride films

Variable‐angle spectroscopic ellipsometry is employed for the optical characterization of non‐stoichiometric silicon nitride thin films exhibiting inhomogeneity formed by refractive index and extinction index changes through the film thickness. For all the film samples, the best fit of the experimental data is achieved if, in addition to the inhomogeneity, an overlayer or roughness of the upper boundary is included. However, distinguishing of these two defects is found not to be possible. The influence of working gas ratio, deposition temperature and on/off time on the film properties is studied. The refractive index and extinction coefficient is found to increase with increasing working gas ratio and less significantly with decreasing deposition temperature. It is also found that the inhomogeneity increases with decreasing deposition temperature, and the deposition rate of the films decreases with increasing working gas ratio. The influence of the on/off time on the film properties is practically unimportant. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In‐situ stress suppression of hydrogenated a‐CNx film prepared via Ar gas introduction

Evolution of hydrogenated amorphous carbon nitride films was investigated with an introduction of Ar gas in the deposition. The results showed that compressive stress of the films decreased versus an increase of Ar flow rate. Especially, at an Ar flow rate of 5 sccm the film exhibited lower compressive stress, higher hardness and lower root‐mean‐square (rms) roughness than the films deposited without Ar gas introduction. Structural analysis showed that the films with higher hardness, low compressive stress and lower rms roughness had relatively high sp² and nitrogen content. It was attributed to the assistance of Ar plasma, which can cause N atom to enter graphite ring easily and form curved graphite microstructure. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Plasma Polymerization on Metals

An ellipsometric technique is described for accurately measuring the film thickness of plasma-polymerized polymers on metallic substrates. The index of refraction n and absorption index Kof the plasma polymer film can also be studied by ellipsometry. Films of plasma polystyrene and polyepichlorohydrin were deposited on evaporated aluminum substrates and their thickness and optical constants determined. Plasma polystyrene films from 20 to 1600 Å thick have optical constants n = 1.63 and K =0 independent of film thickness. Plasma polyepichlorohydrin films over the same range of thickness give n ? 1.70 and K? 0.01. By utilizing the ellipsometric method the effect of plasma polymer film thickness on surface energy properties was determined. Advancing contact angle measurements and surface energy analysis detail the polar γSV^P dispersion γSV^Pcontributions to the solid-vapor surface tension γSV = γSV^d + γSV^P Polystyrene and polyepichlorohydrin films on etched aluminum. For thin plasma polystyrene films (600 Å), anomalies in the calculated surface energy are discussed and related to possible surface nonuniformity caused by film growth. Thicker films of plasma polystyrene are shown to have normal surface energy properties as does plasma poly-epichlorohydrin over the entire range of film thickness measured. The adhesive and cohesive properties of plasma polystyrene and polyepichlorohydrin films are discussed as estimated from a lap-shear bond strength study. Etched aluminum coated with various thicknesses of these two polymers and bonded with an epoxy-phenolic adhesive shows a decreasing shear strength with increasing plasma film thickness but begins to level off at ～1600 psi for films >1600 Å thick.     

Influence of Pressure on SiNx:H Film by LF-PECVD

Hydrogenated silicon nitride films as an effective antireflection and passivation coating of silicon solar cell were prepared on p-type polished silicon substrate (1.0 Ωcm) by direct LF-PECVD (low frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition) of Centrotherm. The preferable passivation effect was obtained and the refractive index was in the range of 2.017-2.082. The refractive index of the hydrogenated silicon nitride films became larger with the increase of the pressure. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to study the pressure influence on the film structural properties. The results highlighted highhydrogen bond and high Si-N bonds density in the film, which were greatly influenced by the pressure. The passivation effect of the films was influenced by the Si dangling bonds density. Finally the effective minority liftetime degradation with time was shown and discussed by considering the relationship between the structural properties and passivation.     

Diamond Deposition on Substrates with Different Geometries in a Thermal Plasma Reactor

The effects of process parameters on diamond film deposition have been considered in an atmospheric-pressure dc thermal plasma jet reactor. Two different precursor injection systems have been evaluated, counterflow and side injection. The precursor flow rate using ethanol has been found to strongly affect crystal size as well as orientation of crystal growth planes. Further, crystal size on sharp edges has been found to be up to five times larger than on planar surfaces. The effects of substrate geometry on the morphology and area of deposited diamond have been investigated as well. The results of this study show that dc thermal plasma jets can provide high diamond deposition rates, for example on wires and drills, although crystal size and film thickness show substantial variation.     

In situ FTIR spectroscopic studies of CO adsorption on electrodes with nanometer-scale thin films of ruthenium in sulfuric acid solutions

A nanometer-scale thin film of ruthenium supported on glassy carbon (nm-Ru/GC) was prepared by electrochemical deposition under cyclic voltammetric conditions. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to investigate the structure and to measure the thickness of the thin film. It has been found that the Ru thin film is composed of layered Ru crystallites that appear in a hexagonal form with dimensions of about 250 nm and thickness around 30 nm. In situ FTIR spectroscopic studies demonstrated that such a nanostructured Ru thin film exhibits abnormal infrared effects (AIREs) for CO adsorption (G.Q. Lu et al., Langmuir 16 (2000) 778). In comparison with CO adsorbed on a massive Pt electrode, the IR absorption of CO_ad on nm-Ru/GC was significantly enhanced. Moreover, the direction of CO_ad bands is inverted and the full width at half maximum of CO_ad bands is increased. It has been revealed that the enhancement factor of IR absorption of CO adsorbed on nm-Ru/GC electrodes depends strongly on the thickness of the Ru film. An asymmetrical volcano relationship between the enhancement factor and the thickness of the Ru film has been obtained. The maximum value of the enhancement factor was measured as 25.5 on a nm-Ru/GC electrode of Ru film thickness around 86 nm. The present study has contributed to exploration of the particular properties of nanostructured Ru film material and to the origin of the abnormal infrared effects.     

Low-Frequency Glow Discharge Deposition of a Silicon Dioxide Film onto the Surface of Glass Microspheres

Laser fusion research demands microsized hollow shells with a large diameter and a thick wall. Because these geometric parameters are difficult to provide by fabrication, the wall thickness was increased by deposition of a silicon dioxide film on the outer surface of glass microspheres. The film was obtained by decomposition of tetraethoxysilane vapor in a low-frequency discharge plasma in mixtures with argon and oxygen. The thickness of coating was shown to be a linear function of the deposition time and the consumption of the precursor organoelement compound. The composition of plasma-deposited layers was studied and their density and refractive index were determined. Elemental analysis data showed that the coating comprised silicon dioxide with carbon and hydrogen impurities.     

Thin Film Growth of Germanium Selenides from PECVD of GeCl<Subscript>4</Subscript> and Dimethyl Selenide

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of germanium selenide thin films from germanium tetrachloride and dimethyl selenide was studied to determine the viability of these reagents for thin film deposition. Germanium tetrachloride and alkylselenides were selected as candidates for these reactions due to their lower toxicities and higher availabilities compared to the more typical substitutes: germane and hydrogen selenide in the formation of germanium selenides. Dimethyl selenide was used successfully for the deposition of germanium selenides. Variation in film stoichiometry was observed by the modification of reactant gas flow ratios. Relative mass flow rates were varied in order to determine their effect on germanium chalcogenide deposition, and the effect of these flow rate modifications on the film thickness, structural properties, and composition are reported.     

Application of infrared reflection spectroscopy for the analysis of hard coatings on metallic substrates

A method is presented for calculating the absorption spectrum, the film thickness and the index of refraction from IR reflection spectra. Considering real test conditions (partial incoherence, scattering) a routinely usable instrument was created with this direct calculation of the absorption spectrum, which provides a very good correspondence between the measurement and simulation also without any initial information about the expected spectrum. This method is applied to characterize hard coatings deposited on iron substrates by glow discharge assisted CVD processes with organic silicon and boron compounds as precursors. In addition to the qualitative microstructural characterization of these coatings, this method is suitable for a rapid, exact and non-destructive determination of the film thickness and the index of refraction. Received: 5 October 1998 / Revised: 20 April 1999 / Accepted: 21 April 1999     

沉积温度对等离子增强化学气相沉积法制备的SiNx:H薄膜特性的影响

利用Centrotherm公司生产的管式等离子增强化学气相沉积(PECVD)设备在p型抛光硅片表面沉积SiN_x:H薄膜, 研究沉积温度对SiN_x:H薄膜的组成及光学特性、结构及表面钝化特性的影响. 然后采用工业化的单晶硅太阳电池制作设备和工艺制作太阳电池, 研究不同温度制备的薄膜对电池电性能的影响. 测试结果表明: SiN_x:H薄膜的折射率随着沉积温度的升高而变大, 分布在1.926-2.231之间, 这表明Si/N摩尔比随着沉积温度的增加而增加; 当沉积温度增加时, 薄膜中Si－H键和N－H键浓度呈现减小趋势, 而Si－N键浓度逐渐升高, 薄膜致密度增加; 随着沉积温度的升高, SiN_x:H薄膜中的氢析出导致了钝化硅片的有效少子寿命先升高后降低, 并且有效少子寿命出现明显的时间衰减特性. 当沉积温度为450 °C时, 薄膜具有最优的减反射和表面钝化效果. 采用不同温度PECVD制备的5组电池的电性能测试结果也验证了这一结果.     

Thickness dependence of the structural,mechanical and electrical properties of Ni films deposited on polyimide by ion beam‐assisted deposition (IBAD)

Ni thin films with different thicknesses were deposited on pre‐treated polyimide substrates by ion beam‐assisted deposition. Dependence of structural, mechanical and electrical properties of the Ni films on their thickness was investigated. The results showed a clear correlation between film properties and film thickness. The inter‐diffusion at the interface regions of the films with different deposition time were demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. With increasing film thickness, surface roughness of the Ni films firstly decreased and then increased, while the grain size gradually increased. Residual stress of the Ni thin films decreased with increasing Ni film thickness up to 202 nm and then slightly increased as the film thickness further increased. Resistivity decreased, and temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) increased with increasing film thickness due to the enhancement of crystallization degree and the increase in grain size. The decrease in surface roughness and residual stress also contributed to the decrease of resistivity and the increase of TCR of the films. An optimal film thickness is suggested, which yielded a relatively high TCR value and low levels of both surface roughness and residual stress. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface analysis of nitride layers formed on Fe‐based alloys through plasma nitride process

Nitriding phenomena that occur on the surfaces of pure Fe and Fe? Cr alloy (16 wt% Cr) samples were investigated. An Ar + N₂ mixture‐gas glow‐discharge plasma was used so that surface nitriding could occur on a clean surface etched by Ar⁺ ion sputtering. In addition, the metal substrates were kept at a low temperature to suppress the diffusion of nitrogen. These plasma‐nitriding conditions enabled us to characterize the surface reaction between nitrogen radicals and the metal substrates. The emission characteristics of the band heads of the nitrogen molecule ion (N₂⁺) and nitrogen molecule from the glow‐discharge plasma suggest that the active nitrogen molecule is probably the major nitriding reactant. AES and angle‐resolved XPS were used to characterize the thickness of the nitride layer and the concentration of elements and chemical species in the nitride layer. The thickness of the nitride layer did not depend on the metal substrate type. An oxide layer with a thickness of a few nanometers was formed on the top of the nitride layer during the nitriding process. The oxide layer consisted of several species of N_x‐Fe_y‐O, NO⁺, and NO₂^?. In the Fe? Cr alloy sample, these oxide species could be reduced because chromium is preferentially nitrided. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of amorphous hydrogenated carbon formed by low-pressure inductively coupled plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using multiple low-inductance antenna units

Three-dimensional plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) has been demonstrated using a new type high-density volumetric plasma source with multiple low-inductance antenna system. The plasma density in the volume of phi 200 mm x 100 mm is 5.1 x 10(10) cm(-3) within +/-5% in the lateral directions and 5.2 x 10(10)cm(-3) within +/-10% in the axial direction for argon plasma under the pressure of 0.1 Pa and the total power as low as 400 W. The uniformity of the thickness and refractive index is within +/-3.5% and +/-1%, respectively, for the a-C:H films deposited on the substrates placed on the six side walls, the top of the phi 60 mm x 80 mm hexagonal substrate holder in the pure toluene plasma under the pressure is as low as 0.04 Pa, and the total power is as low as 300 W. It is also found that precisely controlled ion bombardment by pulse biasing led to the explicit observation in Raman and IR spectra of the transition from polymer-like structure to diamond-like structure accompanied by dehydrogenation due to ion bombardment. Moreover, it is also concluded that the pulse biasing technique is effective for stress reduction without a significant degradation of hardness. The stress of 0.6 GPa and the hardness of 15 GPa have been obtained for 2.0 microm thick films deposited with the optimized deposition conditions. The films are durable for the tribology test with a high load of 20 N up to more than 20,000 cycles, showing the specific wear rate and the friction coefficient were 1.2 x 10(-7) mm3/Nm and 0.04, respectively.     

Modeling electrochemical deposition inside nanotubes to obtain metal-semiconductor multiscale nanocables or conical nanopores

Nanocables with a radial metal-semiconductor heterostructure have recently been prepared by electrochemical deposition inside metal nanotubes. First, a bare nanoporous polycarbonate track-etched membrane is coated uniformly with a metal film by electroless deposition. The film forms a working electrode for further deposition of a semiconductor layer that grows radially inside the nanopore when the deposition rate is slow. We propose a new physical model for the nanocable synthesis and study the effects of the deposited species concentration, potential-dependent reaction rate, and nanopore dimensions on the electrochemical deposition. The problem involves both axial diffusion through the nanopore and radial transport to the nanopore surface, with a surface reaction rate that depends on the axial position and the time. This is so because the radial potential drop across the deposited semiconductor layer changes with the layer thickness through the nanopore. Since axially uniform nanocables are needed for most applications, we consider the relative role of reaction and axial diffusion rates on the deposition process. However, in those cases where partial, empty-core deposition should be desirable (e.g., for producing conical nanopores to be used in single nanoparticle detection), we give conditions where asymmetric geometries can be experimentally realized.     

Laser-induced cavitation based micropump

Lab-on-a-chip devices are in strong demand as versatile and robust pumping techniques. Here, we present a cavitation based technique, which is able to pump a volume of 4000 microm3 within 75 micros against an estimated pressure head of 3 bar. The single cavitation event is created by focusing a laser pulse in a conventional PDMS microfluidic chip close to the channel opening. High-speed photography at 1 million frames s(-1) resolves the flow in the supply channel, pump channel, and close to the cavity. The elasticity of the material affects the overall fluid flow. Continuous pumping at repetition rates of up to 5 Hz through 6 mm long square channels of 20 microm width is shown. A parameter study reveals the key-parameters for operation: the distance between the laser focus and the channel, the maximum bubble size, and the chamber geometry.     

Pulsed plasma polymerized maleic anhydride films in humid air and in aqueous solutions studied with optical waveguide spectroscopy

Optical waveguide spectroscopy (OWS) was employed to monitor the swelling behavior of pulsed plasma polymerized maleic anhydride (PPPMA) films in humid air and in aqueous solutions by measuring the film thicknesses and refractive indices. With the relative humidity of air increasing, both the thickness and the refractive index of the PPPMA films increased, indicating water penetration into and uptake by the films. The swelling of the hydrated PPPMA films in humid air is reversible. In aqueous media, the thickness and the refractive index of the washed PPPMA film increased with an increase of pH and ionic strength, respectively. On the basis of the present data, a hypothesis concerning the structure of the PPPMA film is proposed. Our model suggests that the unique structure of the PPPMA films originates from the cyclic structure of maleic anhydride and depends on parameters of the plasma deposition process, and the interaction between H(2)O and the carboxylic groups.     

Anisotropic island growth: a new approach to thin film electrocrystallization

The electrochemical deposition of metals onto foreign substrates usually occurs through Volmer-Weber island growth, and hence the structure and properties of thin films are critically dependent on the mechanism of nucleation and growth. For example, high nucleus densities are essential for achieving island coalescence at small thickness. Here we demonstrate a new approach to controlling thin film microstructure through the control of island geometry. By promoting anisotropic island growth, film coalescence can be achieved at smaller thickness and with lower island densities.