Development of magnetic-field and pulsed-plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method to fabricate amorphous silicon carbonitride diaphragm for environmental-cell transmission electron microscope

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26420685
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Inorganic materials/Physical properties
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: MATSUTANI Takaomi 近畿大学, 理工学部, 准教授 (00411413)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KAWASAKI Tadahiro ファインセラミックスセンター, 主任研究員 (10372533)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 環境セル / 隔膜 / 磁場 / パルスプラズマ / 化学気相成長法 / 窒化物薄膜 / アモルファス / 雰囲気内顕微鏡観察

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A magnetic-field and pulsed-plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) was developed to fabricate amorphous silicon carbonitride (a-SiCN) diaphragm for environmental-cell transmission electron microscope (E-TEM). The films were prepared by using gaseous hexamethyldisilazane (HMDSN), N2 and Ar. The deposition rate was increased by enhancement of magnetic-field in comparison with a conventional PECVD. The diaphragms were applied to a Cu grid with 100-um-diameter holes. Fourier transform infrared spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectra revealed that an elimination of organic compounds and a formation of Si-N and C-N bonds in diaphragms can be promoted with increasing pulse voltage and N2 flow rate and decreasing ambient pressure. The diaphragms were amorphous and transparent at 200 kV electrons and no chargeup was observed by E-TEM. Durability to electron beams and reaction gases in the E-cell was improved when diaphragm was deposited with high pulse voltage.

Free Research Field

荷電粒子ビーム応用