ZrO2-COATED SiC NANOWIRES PREPARED BY PLASMA-ENHANCED ATOMIC LAYER CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION

Abstract

Plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALCVD) of ZrO 2 was performed to coat SiC nanowires and prepare a SiC-ZrO 2 core-shell nanowire structure. Zirconium tertiary butoxide (ZTB) and hydrogen plasma pulse cycles were used to grow ZrO 2 films. The growth temperature of ZrO 2 PE-ALCVD was 150°C with a growth rate of 1.3 Å/cycle. SEM and TEM images showed uniform coating of SiC nanowires with ZrO 2. The thickness of ZrO 2 coat layer could be controlled by the total number of the pulse cycles. After being annealed at 900°C, a polycrystalline structure of ZrO 2 layer was observed.