SiCl3CCl3 as a novel precursor for chemical vapor deposition of amorphous carbon films

Abstract

Amorphous carbon films, characterized by XRD, AFM, SEM and Raman, were deposited from SiCl3CCl3 on quartz substrates at 773-1273 K by low pressure chemical vapor deposition using a hot-wall reactor. XPS studies showed that the films brown at 773 K contained 90% C and 10% Cl, while the films grown at 1273 K contained 100% C. SiCl4, CCl4 and Cl2C=CCl2 were detected by on-line FT-IR studies. The extrusion of dichlorocarbene, :CCl2, from SiCl3CCl3 should provide the source of carbon in the reaction. On Si substrates, an etching process at the film-substrate interface assisted the lift-off of the films from the substrates. The C films curled and formed rolls. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.