Taguchi Method Optimization of Parameters for Growth of Nano Dimensional SiC Wires by Chemical Vapor Deposition Technique

SiC wires of different morphology were grown using methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) and hydrogen by chemical vapor deposition under ambient pressure. Taguchi method has been used to design experiments to get the optimum parameters for growing SiC wires of diameter in nanometer range. Results from XRD and SEM analyses showed the growth of β-SiC wires having different morphology. At higher temperature (1500 °C), the growth of SiC grains was observed rather than wires. The optimum deposition conditions for uniform diameter growth of SiC nano wires, smoothness of the surface and homogeneous growth of SiC on the surface have been obtained. The hydrogen to MTS flow rate ratio should be above 20 for the growth of SiC wires of nanometer diameter. The deposition temperature for the growth of crystalline SiC wires should be 1100-1300 °C. The total flow rate of carrier gas comprising of argon and hydrogen for a particular H2/MTS flow rate ratio is critical for morphological outcome of SiC. In the present study it was 2 lpm for H2/MTS flow rate ratio 14 to obtain wire morphology. When the total gas flow rate was increased to 6 lpm for the same H2/MTS flow rate ratio 14, the wire morphology of SiC disappeared and the formation of grains occurred. The optimum deposition temperature i.e. 1300 °C was kept constant and further experiments were conducted by changing H2/MTS mole ratio to verify morphological outcome of SiC. A plausible mechanism has been suggested for the above observations using vapor-solid mechanism. Keywords: CVD process, Nanowires, Nanorods, Silicon carbide, SEM, Taguchi method, VL mechanism, SiC