Near‐field scanning microscopy and physico‐chemical analysis versus time of SiCN:H thin films grown in Ar/NH3/TMS gas mixture using MW‐Plasma CVD at 400 °C

Silicon carbonitride thin films (a‐SiCN:H) are deposited by means of microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition with argon, ammonia and TetraMethylSilane (TMS). Morphological studies are realized using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and different deposition times are compared for two gas mixture ratios. Abbott‐Firestone curves and the ratio “projected area to developed area” studies allow us to attribute films growth in this process to Volmer‐Weber mode. These results are correlated to thin films compositions: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (entire thickness of films), and X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (extreme surface). Extreme surface composition does not vary versus deposition time according to plasma composition. However bulk composition of the deposited films varies due to heating of the substrate along the deposition process.