Synthesis and Characterization of Nitrogen-Doped Crystallized SiC Films from Liquid Precursors

Silicon carbide (SiC) is an established material for photovoltaics and other semiconductor devices due to its wide band gap and high thermal stability. Traditional deposition systems for thin, doped SiC layers are often costly and complex. This study investigates the use of 1,4-disilabutane as a low-cost liquid precursor with a rather low decomposition temperature for the deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) films at atmospheric pressure. Nitrogen doping was achieved using 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane. The films were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and conductivity measurements. Optimizing the deposition temperature maximized the Si–C bond density. Crystallization was induced by annealing at temperatures between 800 and 1100 °C, resulting in a three-order-of-magnitude increase in conductivity. The highest conductivity achieved was 0.03 S cm–1 for crystalline, N-doped SiC films. This cost-effective method for producing highly conductive, crystalline SiC films offers significant potential for industrial applications.