Optical And Xps Studies Of Bcn Thin Films By Co-Sputtering Of B 4 C And Bn Targets

Keywords

BCN thin films; Dual target sputtering; Optical properties; Wide bandgap; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)

Abstract

Boron carbon nitride (BCN) thin films are investigated for their optical properties. BCN, is the unanimous choice for inter-dielectric layer (IDL) in very large scale integration (VLSI) because of its low-k dielectric constant. Optical properties can be tailored as a function of elemental composition, which makes BCN a prospective material in UV-filters and mirrors. Films are deposited by reactive co-sputtering of boroncarbide (B 4 C) and boronnitride (BN) with varying N 2 /Ar gas flow ratio by DC and RF sputtering respectively. XPS studies are performed to deduce the bonding and chemical properties of the BCN thinfilms. Optical band gap (Eg) studies are performed as a result of varying target powers, gas ratios and deposition temperatures. Eg is found to increase with N 2 /Ar flow ratios and deposition temperatures. BCN deposited at 20 W DC exhibited higher band gap range and the highest achieved is 3.7 eV at N 2 /Ar = 0.75. Lowest value achieved is 1.9 eV at N 2 /Ar = 0.25 for as-deposited films.

Publication Date

2-28-2017

Publication Title

Applied Surface Science

Volume

396

Number of Pages

484-491

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.10.180

Socpus ID

85006093038 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85006093038

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