Synthesis of Highly Transparent SiCxNyOz:H Films via Plasma-Chemical Decomposition of 1,1,3,3,5,5-Hexamethylcyclotrisilazane, Oxygen, and Nitrogen Gas Mixture

Abstract

Synthesis of silicon oxycarbonitride films highly transparent over a wide spectral region (350–2500 nm) has been developed. The films have been deposited during decomposition of 1,1,3,3,5,5-hexamethylcyclotrisilazane in mixtures with oxygen and nitrogen in a high-frequency discharge plasma in the temperature range of 373–973 K. The influence of the synthesis temperature and the oxygen to nitrogen ratio in the initial gas mixtures on chemical and functional properties of SiC_xN_yO_z:H films has been studied using IR and Raman spectroscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and spectrophotometry. The composition and selected characteristics of the obtained films have been investigated.