Effect of added nitrogen on properties of SiCN films prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using hexamethyldisilazane

Abstract

Silicon carbonitride thin films were obtained by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using native precursor hexamethyldisilazane with a nitrogen addition. Films were investigated by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nanoindentation. It is established that all the films were X-ray amorphous. An increase in nitrogen flow rate leads to increasing the number of Si-N bonds, which, in turn, promotes the rise of nanohardness and elastic modulus up to 20 GPa and 160 GPa, respectively. The optimum deposition parameters were established. The films can be recommended as hard coatings for strengthening cutting tools.