Structural and micro-mechanical studies of CNx films deposited on silicon substrates in a remote nitrogen plasma

This article reports on the synthesis of carbon nitride CNx films on a non- heated substrate. The carbon nitride films are deposited using pulsed CO2 l aser ablation of carbon molecular fragments from a graphite target under ni trogen plasma afterglow. Characterizations of carbon nitride films by Raman , XPS, FT-IR spectroscopy and micro-mechanical testing techniques are prese nted. XPS analyses clearly demonstrate that the film structure consists of carbon fragments in a graphitic form and in CN bonding in sp(2) trigonal an d sp(3) tetrahedral forms. It also shows that higher N/C ratios with a high er CN sp(3) concentration are obtained when the distance between the discha rge and the deposition zone (d) decreases. The aim of this work is to deter mine whether there is a relationship between the reactive nitrogen plasma a fterglow species and film structure. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rig hts reserved.