Tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)silane: Temperature dependence of vapor pressure, kinetics, and silicon carbide thin films by plasma-assisted liquid injection chemical vapor deposition process

Thermal stability, vapor pressure, enthalpy of sublimation and activation energy of tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)silane (TMSS) were investigated by non-isothermal and isothermal thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, which revealed good thermal stability, high volatility with a nil residue. The temperature dependence of vapor pressure measured by using a horizontal dual arm single furnace thermo-analyzer as a transpiration apparatus gave a value of 51.3 ± 1.9 kJ mol−1 for the enthalpy of sublimation (ΔsubH°) for TMSS in the temperature range of 315.93–416.49 K. The non-isothermal sublimation kinetic reaction mechanism predicted by the Coats–Redfern (CR) model-fitting analysis was 2D diffusion (D2-Valensi equation) and phase boundary (contracting area) controlled and also it was confirmed from the full width of DTG peaks (shape method) suggested by Dollimore. The demonstration of SiC thin film deposition was carried out using plasma-assisted liquid injection chemical vapor deposition (PA-LICVD) and films were analyzed using SEM/EDX techniques.

► Thermal stability, vapor pressure and enthalpy of sublimation of tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)silane is new.
► Solid state kinetics and reaction mechanisms of tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)silane is also new by thermogravimetry methods.
► The deposition of silicon carbide from halogen-free source by plasma assisted liquid injection CVD is new and the results are promising.