The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
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Title:	Synthesis and characterization of hafnium carbide thin films
Author:	Thongruang, Wiriya
View Online:	njit-etd1997-099 (xii, 53 pages ~ 1.9 MB pdf)
Department:	Committee for the Interdisciplinary Program in Materials Science and Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Materials Science and Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Levy, Roland A. (Committee chair) Marcus, Robert Boris (Committee member) Tyson, Trevor (Committee member)
Date:	1997-01
Keywords:	Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Carbides--Thermal properties. Thin film devices.
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Hafnium carbide thin films of various characteristics were deposited on silicon substrates using dc magnetron sputtering. A HfC target was used as a sputtering source and Ar was used as a sputtering gas during deposition. The variables investigated were total sputtering gas pressure and power. Optimum characteristics were achieved with a total sputtering gas pressure of 5 mTorr and power of 200 W. No evidence for oxidation of the film was found at a depth below 400A for deposited and annealed films. Binding characteristics were obtained from ESCA data. The compressive film stress increased when sputtering gas pressure decreased. The lowest HfC film resistivity achieved was 210 μΩ-cm. This resistivity was obtained by using a low sputtering gas pressure. High power reduced film resistivities. Very low base pressures and cycling of chamber were found to lower the resistivity. Annealing of HfC deposited film reduced the stress and resistivity by approximately 10%.