Structure and photoluminescence properties of SiC films synthesized by the RF-magnetron sputtering technique

SiC films were prepared by the RF-magnetron sputtering technique on P-Si substrates with the target of single crystalline SiC. The as-deposited films were annealed in the temperature range of 700-1000 °C under nitrogen ambient. The thin films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The results showed that the samples were amorphous until they were annealed at 1000 °C. Annealing temperature (Ta) has an important role in the quality of the samples. The XPS data revealed the chemical state of the samples. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the samples were observed in the visible range at room temperature. The origin of the PL was discussed.