Microstructure and deposition kinetics of Nb prepared by chemical vapor deposition
Abstract
The deposition kinetics and microstructure of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of Nb on the Mo substrate at different deposition variables is investigated. The morphology of CVD Nb is columnar, it exhibits a strong preferred orientation and its growth direction is perpendicular to the substrate surface, the deposition rate and grain size increased with the increase of deposition temperature. The deposition rate conforms to the Arrhenius formula, the activation energy at high temperature and low temperature is 0.85 kJ/mol and 7.2 kJ/mol, respectively. The rate-limiting step for CVD Nb at high temperature is chemical reaction step, whereas that is the mass transport step at low temperature. Chlorination temperature has a weak influence on deposition rate and grain structure, the deposition rate and grain size of CVD Nb increased with the increase of the chlorine flow and hydrogen flow, the maximum deposition rate is , thus, the optimum deposition temperature is 1200C, chlorination temperature is 350C, hydrogen flow is 400 ml, chlorine flow is 200 ml.