Papers by Author: M. Kihel

Abstract: Amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) films have been deposited in Microwave Multipolar plasma reactor (MMP) using pure acetylene as precursor with controlling substrate temperature. Investigations on the optical properties of deposited films according to the substrate temperature have been reported. It has been observed that the optical band gap decreases and the Csp2 concentration increases when cooling down the substrate temperature. On the other hand, it has been revealed elsewhere that cooling down the substrate temperature during the deposition process, leads to the increase of particles trapped density in the deposited films due to a phenomenon of thermophoresis. Therefore, the optical properties evolution is linked to the increases of particles trapped density in the deposited films.

Abstract: Some investigations on physico-chemical properties of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) thin films deposited from C2H4 precursor have been carried out. The films were elaborated in a Microwave Multipolar Plasma reactor excited at Distributed Electron Cyclotron Resonance (MMP-DECR). The effects of the plasma power on the electrical and structural characteristics of the deposited films have been evaluated. It appeared that for low plasma power ( 400 W), the deposition rate and the hydrogen concentration increases, whereas the Csp2 concentration remains constant. Beyond 400 W, the deposition rate and the hydrogen concentration reach saturation levels and the Csp2 concentration decreases. In contrast, the film density decreased with the increase of the plasma power. Below 400 W, the dielectric constant decreased with the increase of the plasma power, however, beyond 400 W its value remained almost constant. The correlation between film characterization and properties shows that the permittivity is driven by the film density and the film structure.