Effect of the SiCl₄ Flow Rate on SiBN Deposition Kinetics in SiCl₄-BCl₃-NH₃-H₂-Ar Environment

Materials (Basel). 2017 Jun 7;10(6):627. doi: 10.3390/ma10060627.

Abstract

To improve the thermal and mechanical stability of SiCf/SiC or C/SiC composites with SiBN interphase, SiBN coating was deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) using SiCl₄-BCl₃-NH₃-H₂-Ar gas system. The effect of the SiCl₄ flow rate on deposition kinetics was investigated. Results show that deposition rate increases at first and then decreases with the increase of the SiCl₄ flow rate. The surface of the coating is a uniform cauliflower-like structure at the SiCl₄ flow rate of 10 mL/min and 20 mL/min. The surface is covered with small spherical particles when the flow rate is 30 mL/min. The coatings deposited at various SiCl₄ flow rates are all X-ray amorphous and contain Si, B, N, and O elements. The main bonding states are B-N, Si-N, and N-O. B element and B-N bonding decrease with the increase of SiCl₄ flow rate, while Si element and Si-N bonding increase. The main deposition mechanism refers to two parallel reactions of BCl₃+NH₃ and SiCl₄+NH₃. The deposition process is mainly controlled by the reaction of BCl₃+NH₃.

Keywords: SiBN coating; SiCl4 flow; deposition mechanism; low pressure chemical vapor deposition.