Growth Rate and Sensing Properties οf Plasma Deposited Silicon Organic Thin Films from Hexamethyldisilazane Compound

Silicon organic thin films have been prepared by RF hollow cathode plasma chemical vapor deposition system, from hexamethyldisilazane (HMDSN) as the source compound, under different plasma conditions, namely feed gas and applied RF power. The feed gas has been changed from argon to nitrogen, and the power has been varied between 100 W and 300 W in $N_{2}$/HMDSN plasma. The plasma active species (electrons, ion flux rate, and UV radiation) contributing to the films growth mechanisms have been identified by electrical probes and optical emission spectroscopic analysis. The films have been investigated for their thickness and deposition rate, using quartz crystal microbalance, and sensing properties relating to humidity and gas ($NH_{3},$ $CO_{2}$ and $O_{2}$) sorptive investigations, using the piezoelectric effect of quartz crystals of the quartz crystal microbalance. The effect of the different plasma conditions on the plasma phase characteristics and deposited thin films properties, as well as the correlations between deposition rate and plasma characteristics and between sorptive properties, water contact angles and thin films surface morphology are reported.