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T. Frischmuth, D. Dergez, M. Stübegger, U. Hedenig, Th. Grille, U. Schmid:
"Influence of High Temperature Annealings on a-SiC:H Thin Film Properties";
Talk: Smart Systems Integration (SSI) 2014, Wien; 03-26-2014 - 03-27-2014; in: "Smart Systems Integration", Apprimus Verlag, Aachen, (2014), ISBN: 978-3-86359-201-1; 475 - 478.

Annealing of Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposited (PECVD) hydrogenated
amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) is performed at temperatures Ta ranging from
300°C up to 700°C in vacuum and in nitrogen gas atmosphere. The influence of the
thermal loading on important thin film parameters is measured and evaluated. The
film stress changes from approximately -600 MPa compressive to nearly 2 GPa
tensile under both annealing conditions. In the Fourier Transformed Infrared (FT-IR)
spectra, the number of chemical bonds containing hydrogen decreases and the
corresponding Si-C-stretching band is enhanced with increasing Ta. Annealing in N2
atmosphere causes a surface-near oxidation which is not apparent after thermal
loading applied in vacuum. The surface contact angle remains at about 60° in
vacuum condition, but decreases from 60° to 30° in nitrogen gas atmosphere,
probably due to the oxidation of the surface caused by high temperature loadings.

Annealing of Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposited (PECVD) hydrogenated
amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) is performed at temperatures Ta ranging from
300°C up to 700°C in vacuum and in nitrogen gas atmosphere. The influence of the
thermal loading on important thin film parameters is measured and evaluated. The
film stress changes from approximately -600 MPa compressive to nearly 2 GPa
tensile under both annealing conditions. In the Fourier Transformed Infrared (FT-IR)
spectra, the number of chemical bonds containing hydrogen decreases and the
corresponding Si-C-stretching band is enhanced with increasing Ta. Annealing in N2
atmosphere causes a surface-near oxidation which is not apparent after thermal
loading applied in vacuum. The surface contact angle remains at about 60° in
vacuum condition, but decreases from 60° to 30° in nitrogen gas atmosphere,
probably due to the oxidation of the surface caused by high temperature loadings.