Hot-wire growth of multi-phase carbon nitride films

Abstract

This paper describes the growth of multi-phase carbon nitride films using hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) on (100)-oriented crystalline Si substrates. A mixture of either CH4/NH3 or CH4/N2 was activated over a hot tungsten filament under varying deposition conditions. The samples were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). AFM micrographs show the presence of facetted crystallites. The XRD peaks observed were compared with theoretical predictions for α-C3N4 and β-C3N4—the two ultra-hard phases of carbon nitride. The results suggest the presence of α-C3N4 and β-C3N4, as well as other unidentified phases in our films. We also calculated the equilibrium concentration of the various gas species as a function of temperature and pressure. Our results indicate that CN and C2N2 radicals are possible precursors to carbon nitride growth.

Department(s)

Physics, Astronomy, and Materials Science

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/s0040-6090(03)00091-9

Keywords

hot-wire deposition, ultra-hard materials, carbon nitride

Publication Date

2003

Journal Title

Thin Solid Films

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