Gas and heat treatment effects on the defect structure of a-SiC:H films

Open volumes formed during the film growth of a-SiC:H are interconnected throughout the amorphous network via channels and can trap gases at the large internal surfaces. The gases can be desorbed from the internal surfaces by heat treatments and leave behind an increased areal density of defects in the sample. A nano-crystalline structure grows upon annealing and irreversible structural changes take place, when breaking of Si-H and C-H bonds and formation of additional Si-C and C-C bonds lead to film densification.