Equilibrium analysis of zirconium carbide CVD growth

A chemical equilibrium study was performed to investigate the effect of growth parameters on the constitution in ZrC films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The equilibrium analysis of the Zr–C–H system demonstrated that ZrC (fcc) deposition is favorable and that a certain minimum amount of hydrogen should prevent co-deposition of elemental carbon over a wide range of temperature, pressure, and inlet C/Zr atom ratio. The results of the equilibrium analysis were compared to the phase constitution of films grown by low-pressure metalorganic CVD (<10−4 Torr). Only carbon-rich ZrC films were grown and demonstrated the possibility of an aerosol-assisted CVD approach to stoichiometric ZrC film growth.