Evaluation of an Empirical Model to Estimate and Optimize Mechanical Properties of PECVD SiC Films

In this paper, we present a systematic investigation of the influence of the deposition parameters on the deposition rate, etch rate, and mechanical stress of SiC films prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique. Among the relevant deposition parameters, the gas flow rate, the main parameter to determine the Si to C ratio, plays a crucial role in controlling the properties of SiC films. By combining a design of experiments with a mathematical technique, an empirical model to control the stress of the PECVD SiC films is obtained. Using this empirical model taking into account the interaction between parameters, the stress of the SiC film can be reduced down to only .