Copper nitride thin films prepared by the RF plasma chemical reactor with low pressure supersonic single and multi-plasma jet system

The RF plasma chemical reactor with low pressure supersonic plasma jet syst em (RPJ) has been used for deposition of Cu3N thin films. From comparison o f experimental values of composition weight per cent with theoretically pre dicted ones, and from XRD analysis, it follows that if the RF power absorbe d in the reactor does not exceed 75 W, stoichiometric Cu3N films are achiev ed. The typical value of deposition growth rate was found to be on the orde r of 16 nm/min for RF power P(w)approximate to 40 W. The optical energy gap E-g and microhardness H of the deposited Cu3N thin films increased with de creasing RF power. They are E-g=1.24 eV and H=8.8 GPa for the sample deposi ted at RF power 40 W. For RF power higher than approximately 75 W, it appea rs that a small amount of Cu microparticles, up to similar to 1 mu m? is di luted in the Cu3N film. The deposition of the microparticles can be explain ed by local overheating of the probe surface by RF power absorbed in RF hol low cathode discharge. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.