Structure and electrical studies of fluorinated amorphous carbon films prepared by electron cyclotron resonance/chemical-vapor deposition

Abstract

Fluorinated amorphous carbon (a-C:F) films of high fluorine content were prepared by radio-frequency (RF) bias assisted electron cyclotron resonance/chemical-vapor deposition (ECR-CVD) with a variable fluorine-to-carbon (F/C) ratio of the feed gases. The films were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A low dielectric constant of around 1.5 and high dielectric strength beyond 35 MV/cm were obtained under the as-deposited and annealed conditions, respectively. The measured huge current surge and electrical conductivity of the films were discussed on the basis of the nanovoids and sp(2)/Sp(3) bonding fractions as derived from the above characterizations. [DOI: 10.1143/JJAP.42.3598].