Physicochemical Properties and Structure of SiCxNy:Fe Films Grown From a Gas Mixture of Ferrocene, Hydrogen and 1,1,3,3,5,5-Hexamethylcyclotrisilazane

Abstract

Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and EXAFS spectroscopy are used to study the composition and structure of SiC_xN_y:Fe films obtained by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in the Fe–Si–C–N–H system from a mixture of hydrogen, ferrocene (C₅H₅)₂Fe, and organosilicon compound 1,1,3,3,5,5–hexamethylcyclotrisilazane (HMCTS) C₆H₂₁N₃Si₃. The films are deposited under low pressures (LPCVD) at 1123–1273 K, and their phase composition at 300–1300 K is predicted using thermodynamic modeling. The obtained films are nanocomposites with amorphous matrices containing α-Fe crystallites and carbon clusters with a size of 5–10 nm.