Formation of Carbon Nitride Films by Means of Ion Assisted Dynamic Mixing (IVD) Method

Nitrogen-rich films of carbon nitride were prepared for the first time on silicon wafers and tungsten carbide plates by means of the ion-assisted dynamic mixing (or ion and vapor deposition, IVD) method. The thickness of the films was 1.0 µm and the composition ratio, C/N, was changed from 0.2 to 2.0. The energy of nitrogen ions also varied from 200 eV to 20 keV. The structure of films was amorphous. The Knoop hardness of films grown on WC was about 6500 for the films with atomic ratio of composition lower than C/N=1.0 and prepared by means of 200 and 500 eV beams. This hardness of the present films with 1.0 µm thickness is never obtained in films of other materials. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra of C-1s 1/2 electrons from these films showed a larger chemical shift (286.3 eV) than that of diamond (285.8 eV), which was observed for the first time.