Deposition of Films from a Mixture of Hexamethylcyclotrisilazane Vapor and Argon in Inductively Coupled Plasma

In an inductively coupled high-frequency discharge plasma, SiC x N y :H films are obtained from a mixture of hexamethylcyclotrisilazane vapor and argon at substrate temperatures of 100 to 400°C and a discharge power of 200 W. The simplest plasma components (nitrogen, cyan, silicon atoms, CH free radicals, and C 2 dimers) are determined. Some physicochemical properties of the films, including the growth rate, types of chemical bonds, refractive index, transparency interval, and contact angle, are studied. The synthesized films have a polymer-like structure.