Soft X-ray fluorescence measurements of irradiated polyimide and polycarbosilane films

Fluorescent soft X-ray carbon K alpha and silicon L-2,L-3 emission spectra (XES) have been used to characterize the bonding of carbon atoms in polyimi de (PI) and polycarbosilane (PCS) films. The PI films have been irradiated with either 40 keV nitrogen or argon ions, at concentrations ranging from 1 x10(14) to 1x10(16) cm(-2). The PCS films have been irradiated with 5x10(15 ) carbon ions cm(-2) of 500 keV and/or annealed at 1000 degrees C. We find that the fine structure of the carbon XES of the PI films changes with impl anted ion concentrations above 1x10(14) cm(-2) which we believe is due to t he degradation of the PI film into amorphous C:N:O. The bonding configurati on of free carbon precipitates embedded in amorphous SIC which are formed i n PCS films after irradiation with C ions or combined treatments (irradiati on and subsequent annealing) is similar to that found in diamond-like films or in graphite-like films, respectively. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.