The effect of nitrogen incorporation on the bonding structure of hydrogenated carbon nitride films

Journal Article · Thu Mar 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2712142· OSTI ID:20982755

Camero, M; Buijnsters, J G; Gomez-Aleixandre, C; Gago, R; Caretti, I; Jimenez, I ^[1]

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1. Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM-CSIC), C/ Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz 3, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain)

This work describes the composition and bonding structure of hydrogenated carbon nitride (a-CN{sub x}:H) films synthesized by electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition using as precursor gases argon, methane, and nitrogen. The composition of the films was derived from Rutherford backscattering and elastic recoil detection analysis and the bonding structure was examined by infrared (IR) spectroscopy and x-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES). By varying the nitrogen to methane ratio in the applied gas mixture, polymeric a-CN{sub x}:H films with N/C contents varying from 0.06 to 0.49 were obtained. Remarkably, the H content of the films ({approx}40 at. %) was rather unaffected by the nitrogenation process. The different bonding states as detected in the measured XANES C(1s) and N(1s) spectra have been correlated with those of a large number of reference samples. The XANES and IR spectroscopy results indicate that N atoms are efficiently incorporated into the amorphous carbon network and can be found in different bonding environments, such as pyridinelike, graphitelike, nitrilelike, and amino groups. The nitrogenation of the films results in the formation of N-H bonding environments at the cost of C-H structures. Also, the insertion of N induces a higher fraction of double bonds in the structure at the expense of the linear polymerlike chains, hence resulting in a more cross-linked solid. The formation of double bonds takes place through complex C=N structures and not by formation of graphitic aromatic rings. Also, the mechanical and tribological properties (hardness, friction, and wear) of the films have been studied as a function of the nitrogen content. Despite the major modifications in the bonding structure with nitrogen uptake, no significant changes in these properties are observed.

• OSTI ID: 20982755
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 101, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2712142; (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABSORPTION
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
AMORPHOUS STATE
ARGON
BOUND STATE
CARBON NITRIDES
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
DOUBLE BONDS
ELECTRON CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
FRICTION
GRAPHITE
HARDNESS
HYDROGEN
INFRARED SPECTRA
METHANE
NITROGEN
RUTHERFORD BACKSCATTERING SPECTROSCOPY
THIN FILMS
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY