Wide band-gap hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide prepared from a liquid aromatic carbon source

By utilizing the aromatic molecule xylene, we have prepared hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) for the first time from an aromatic carbon source. Good-quality films are obtained, over a wide range of optical band gaps from 2.2 to 3.5 eV and carbon content from 0.4 to 0.9 atomic fraction. Infrared measurements indicate that the films contain an underlying inorganic network of bonded Si, C, and H atoms, as found in a-SiC:H prepared from conventional carbon sources, but in addition, have substantial organic character, evidenced by a large amount of both aromatic and olefinic sp2 carbon bonding.