Eur. Phys. J. D 65, 421-428 (2011)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2011-20503-7

Regular Article

Ordering of SiO_xH_yC_z islands deposited by atmospheric pressure microwave plasma torch on Si(100) substrates patterned by nanoindentation

¹ SPCTS, ENSIL, 16 Rue Atlantis, Ester Technopole, 87068 Limoges, France
² SPCTS, CEC, 12 Rue Atlantis, Ester Technopole, 87068 Limoges, France

^a e-mail: xavier.landreau@ensil.unilim.fr

Received: 29 August 2011
Received in final form: 10 October 2011
Published online: 25 November 2011

Abstract

SiO_xH_yC_z nanometric layers are deposited from hexamethyldisiloxane by atmospheric pressure microwave plasma torch on Si(100) substrates submitted to temperatures varying on the range [0 °C; 120 °C]. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) characterizations of samples grown at intermediate substrate temperatures (~30 °C) demonstrate a layer-by-layer growth (Frank van der Merwe growth) leading to smooth flat and compact films while films deposited at lower and higher substrates temperatures show an island-like growth (Volmer-Weber growth) generating a high surface roughness. Concomitantly, a detailed infrared spectroscopy analysis of the growing films evidences structural modifications due to changes in the bond types, Si-O-Si conformation and stoichiometry correlated with scanning electron microscopy and AFM characterizations. Then, deposition conditions and specific microstructure are selected with the aim of generating 3-dimensional SiO_xH_yC_z nanostructure arrays on nanoindented Si (100) templates. The first results are discussed.