Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon carbide (nc-SiC:H) thin films were
prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering. Deposition was achieved in a
plasma of argon (Ar) and an hydrogen (H2) gas mixture with various
H2 dilution percentages (10–80% H2) at a fixed substrate
temperature of 500 °C. In order to describe the local bonding and the
relative proportion of the different complexes formed during growth, the
films were investigated by means of Fourier Transform Infrared absorption
and Raman spectroscopy. Other structural features were analyzed by AFM
measurements, electron diffraction and high resolution transmission electron
microscopy observations. Optical and electrical properties of the films were
also characterized. This study shows that hydrogen dilution plays an
important role on the microstructure of the films as well as on their
properties. The highest refractive index was obtained for a 60% ratio of
hydrogen in the plasma and the highest dark conductivity found was 2.03 × 10−4 Ω−1 cm−1. A close relationship between the Si-H
bond content and the conductivity is confirmed.