Silicon Carbide
The Properties of Silicon Carbide SilCor®SiC
- Classification according to VDI-Richtlinie (directive) 2840
»Carbon films - Basics, Modifications and Properties« - modified hydrogenated amorphous Carbon (Coating 2.7, a-C:H:X)
- Deposition method
- Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PCVD, PECVD, PACVD)
- Deposition temperature: typical T=160 degCelsius (alternatively 45 to 420 degCelsius)
- Chemical Composition
- (Deposition at a temperature of 280 degCelsius and spezific gas composition)
- 18 at% Si, 44 at% C, 1 at% O, 37 at% H (SIMS in-depth profile, integrated values)
- Mechanical properties (a-Si0.18C0.44:H)
- Possible film thickness: 20 nm - 50 µm
- following values for a typical thickness of 3 µm:
- Surface roughness: 0,02 µm
- Universal hardness: U_H = 20 GPa
- Vickers hardness: HV (0,01) = 2100
- Young's modulus: E = 145 GPa
- Elastical deformation: W_E/P = 72 %
- Surface energy: 22mN/m (hydrophobic)
- Stress on Si-substrate: s = 0,12 GPa
- Coefficient of frication against dry steel: µ = 0,17
- Specific gravity: rho = 2,4 g/cm^3
- Physical / chemical properties
- Specific electrical resistivity: 10^13 Ωcm
- Morphology: amorphous
- Temperature resistance: up to 500 degCelsius
- Chemical resistance: Against acids, leeches, salts and oxidizing agents
- De-coating: plasmachemical process
Optical transmission spectrum of a thin (about 200 nm) SilCor®SiC silicon carbide film in the visible and near infrared spectral range. Depending on the content of silicon (and oxygen) these films appear transparent. Due to the interferences of light being reflected at the film surface and the film-substrate interface, respectively, there are maxima and minima in the transmission spectrum. On reflecting substrates as, e. g. polished steel, these films appear chatoyant (color changing).
Note: The values given ware taken from measurements on specific probe substrates. Because of the geometrical effects occurring in the plasma, the physical properties vary with size of the coating good. Therefore, a prototype coating procedure for the determination of the exact film properties on the specific substrate is strongly recommended.