CARBON NITRIDE FILMS DEPOSITED ON (111) SI SUBSTRATES BY REACTIVE EXCIMER-LASER ABLATION

We deposited CNx films on (111) Si substrates at room temperature by X eCl laser ablation of graphite targets in low pressure N-2 atmosphere at laser fluences in the range of 3 to 16 J/cm(2). Different diagnosti c techniques (SEM, TEM, RES, XPS, XRD) were used to characterize the d eposited films. Films are plane and adhesive to their substrates. The deposition rates depend on laser fluence. ambient pressure and target to substrate distance. The nitrogen concentration increases with incre asing ambient pressure and laser fluence. N/C atomic ratios up to 0.7 were inferred from RES measurements in films deposited at a fluence of 16 J/cm(2). XRD and TEM analyses point to an oriented microcrystallin e structure of the films deposited at relatively high laser fluences ( 12 to 16 J/cm(2)). This could be due to the high kinetic energy of the radicals in the laser produced plasma plume.