Deposition of SiOx coatings by inductively coupled plasma: Effect of pulsed hexamethyldisiloxan flow

In this work, the deposition of SiOx films from O-2/hexamethyldisiloxan (HMDSO) or Ar/HMDSO mixtures in an inductively coupled plasma is investigated. Substrate temperature and electron density are measured during the deposition process. Furthermore, the deposited layers are analyzed with a profilometer (thickness), infrared absorption spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Processes with continuous and pulsed HMDSO flows are compared to characterize the effect of surface treatment of a grown layer. Pure O-2 or Ar plasmas between the HMDSO gas flow pulses can offer a "post-oxidation" or "post-treatment" of the grown films. The discharge dynamics during the different phases are also investigated by time-resolved electron density measurements. This approach has led to formation of carbon and Si-OH group free SiOx films even without addition of O-2 gas under atmospheric pressure conditions.