Electromagnetic energy absorption potential and microwave heating capacity of SiC thin films in the 1–16 GHz frequency range

We report on the electromagnetic (EM) absorption potential and microwave heating capacity of amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide thin films (a-SiC:H) in the 1–16 GHz frequency domain. a-SiC:H thin films with typical thickness of 1 μm were deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on [1 0 0] undoped silicon substrates, and exhibit a deep EM absorption – up to 96% of the total EM energy irradiation – which is systematically converted into heat. Two-wavelength pyrometer tests show that temperatures exceeding 2000 K can be reached in a very short time, less than 100 s exposure to microwaves, showing a promising potential for specific microwave heating applications.