AN INFLUENCE OF PLASMA TREATMENT ON STRUCTURE PROPERTIES OF THIN SiC FILMS ON Si

In this paper, an influence of processing in hydrogen plasma on a structure of SiC0.7, SiC0.95 and SiC1.4 layers formed by implantation of carbon ions (40, 20, 10, 5 and 3 keV) into silicon substrate is investigated. The glow discharge hydrogen plasma was generated at a pressure of 6.5 Pa with a capacitive coupled r.f. power (27.12 MHz) of about 20 W. Temperature of processing did not exceed 100 degrees C. It is found that after plasma treatment the surface of SiC0.95 film becomes friable and porous. Annealing at temperature 800 degrees C has led to the formation of granular structure of the surface while the untreated by plasma film at the same temperature shows the surface deformation only. The half-width of Si-C peak of IR transmission spectrum of SiC0.95 layer after processing in hydrogen plasma and annealing at 900 degrees C for 30 min is equal to 78 cm(-1) and indicates on the formation of highly qualitative crystalline beta-SiC layer, surpassing on quality of structure perfection of an untreated in plasma SiC0.95 layer isochronously annealed at temperatures in an interval 200-1400 degrees C. This effect of low temperature crystallization stimulated in plasma is explained by disintegration of stable carbon- and carbon-silicon clusters under influence of hydrogen plasma.