N. Lesch et al., INVESTIGATION OF THE ELECTRON-BEAM-INDUCED TRANSFORMATION OF CU-3 N-FILMS, Fresenius' journal of analytical chemistry, 361(6-7), 1998, pp. 604-607
Homogeneous films of metastable Cu3N were deposited on Si-<100> wafers
at 90 degrees C by means of reactive magnetron sputtering ion plating
. Under electron bombardment with a focused beam at high current (> 70
0 nA, 15 keV) these films transform into metallic Cu and N-2. The depl
etion of N was measured quantitatively by EPMA. Structures with a late
ral size of 2 mu m consisting of metallic copper were written into the
Cu3N films. AFM surface scans revealed a vertical growth of the colum
nar grains of the Cu3N film due to the electron bombardment.