Crystalline carbon nitride thin films were prepared on Si (100) substrates by a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition method, using CH4/N2 as precursor gases. The surface morphologies of the carbon nitride films deposited on Si substrate at 830℃ are consisted of hexagonal crystalline rods. The effect of substrate temperature on the formation of carbon nitrides was investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated that the maximum value of N/C in atomic ratio in the films deposited at a substrate temperature of 830℃ is 1 .20, which is close to the stoichiometric value of C3N4. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the films deposited at 830℃ indicates no amorphous phase in the films, which are composed of β- and α-C3N4 phase containing an unidentified C-N phase. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy supports the existence of C-N covalent bond.
C3N4 films have been synthesized on both Si and R substrates by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) method. X-ray spectra were calculated for single phase α-C3N4 and p-C3N4 respectively. The experimental X-ray spectra of films deposited on both Si and R substrates showed all the strong peaks of α-C3N4 and β-C3N4 so the films are mixtures of α-C3N4 and β-C3N4. The N/C atomic ratio is in the range of 1.0-2.0. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the binding energy of C 1s and N 1s are 286.2 eV and 399.5 eV respectively, corresponding to polarized C-N bond. Fourier transform infrared absorption (FT-IR) and Raman spectra support the existence of C-N covalent bond in the films. Nano-indentation hardness tests showed that the bulk modulus of a film deposited on R is up to 349 GPa.
