DEPOSITION OF CRYSTALLINE BINARY NITRIDE FILMS OF TIN, COPPER, AND NICKEL BY REACTIVE SPUTTERING

Crystalline binary nitride films of tin, copper, and nickel were prepa red by reactive sputtering in a nitrogen plasma generated in a dc glow discharge. The chemical composition and thermal behavior of the films were established. The films were characterized by additional physicoc hemical techniques. Tin nitride, Sn3N4 has an electrical resistivity o f 0.02 OMEGA cm and decomposes into the elements at a maximum rate at 615-degrees-C. The thermal decomposition of Cu3N takes place at 465-de grees-C, while Ni3N decomposes at 405-degrees-C in a stepwise fashion through an intermediate stage at 305-degrees-C. Tin, copper, and nicke l nitride decompose into the elements. Nickel nitride crystallized in a new cubic phase with a lattice parameter of 0.446 nm.