Preparation of amorphous CNx thin films by pulsed laser deposition using a radio frequency radical beam source

Amorphous CNx thin films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) combined with a nitrogen rf radical beam source which supplies active nitrogen species to the growing film surface. The dominant active nitrogen species are excited N-2 molecules and nitrogen atoms. The deposited films were characterized by scanning electron microscope, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman scattering, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Nitrogen content of the deposited films increased with increasing rf input power and N-2 pressure in the PLD chamber. The N/C ratio 0.23 was obtained at 400 W of rf input power and 1.3 Pa. XPS N 1s spectra shows the existence of N-sp(2)C and N-sp(3)C bonds in the deposited films. The fraction of the N-sp(3)C increased with increasing of N-2 pressure in the PLD chamber during the operation of radical beam source. FTIR and Raman spectra of the deposited films indicated that N equivalent to C bonds in the films were few as compared to the other carbon and nitrogen bonds. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)02216-1].