Publication detail

Mechanical properties of individual layers in a-SiC:H multilayer film

ČECH, V. TRIVEDI, R. ŠKODA, D.

Original Title

Mechanical properties of individual layers in a-SiC:H multilayer film

Type

journal article - other

Language

English

Original Abstract

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon-silicon (a-SiC:H) multilayer film consisting of five soft bilayers (layer A: E=15.4 GPa, H=1.69 GPa; layer B: E=9.63 GPa, H=0.94 GPa) was deposited from tetravinylsilane monomer at two RF powers (10 W, 0.1 W) on silicon wafer by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The multilayer comprising ten layers of 0.13-micron thickness was sectioned at a shallow angle of 4 deg by ultramicrotomy to reveal the individual layers. The layers in the multilayer film were distinguished by the surface topography mode of semicontact atomic force microscopy utilizing the step character in height corresponding to the stiffness of the individual layers and by atomic force acoustic microscopy (AFAM) utilizing the distribution of resonant frequencies corresponding to elastic anisotropy. The sectioned individual layers were sufficiently smooth (RMS roughness: 0.001 micron) to make nanoindentation measurements for each layer. The Youngs modulus E and hardness H were determined for individual layers, enabling us to distinguish a stiffer layer A from a more pliant layer B. An influence of the surrounding layers and substrate on the determined mechanical constants was discussed as well.

Keywords

atomic force microscopy (AFM); mechanical properties; multilayers; nanoindentation; plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)

Authors

ČECH, V.; TRIVEDI, R.; ŠKODA, D.

RIV year

2011

Released

31. 12. 2011

ISBN

1612-8850

Periodical

Plasma Processes and Polymers

Year of study

8

Number

12

State

Federal Republic of Germany

Pages from

1107

Pages to

1115

Pages count

9

BibTex

@article{BUT89431,
  author="Vladimír {Čech} and Rutul Rajendra {Trivedi} and David {Škoda}",
  title="Mechanical properties of individual layers in a-SiC:H multilayer film",
  journal="Plasma Processes and Polymers",
  year="2011",
  volume="8",
  number="12",
  pages="1107--1115",
  issn="1612-8850"
}