Electric Current in Rate Equation for Parallel Plate Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition of SiC x N y O z Film without Heat Assistance

Abstract

A 50–500 nm-thick SiC x N y O z film was formed in parallel plate plasma at room temperature using a gas mixture of monomethylsilane, nitrogen and argon at 10−30 Pa for 5 min at the electric current of 1–16 mA. The film thickness and the concentrations of the silicon, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen were expressed by equations assuming that various chemical reactions in the gas phase and at the surface were enhanced by both the electric current and the partial pressure of the gases. The obtained equations showed the influence of the electric current on the film thickness and the compositions. Using the obtained equations, the existence and the extent of the deposition and the etching by the precursors and their combinations were evaluated.