Synthesis and characterization of C-N films by hot carbon filament CVD

Nitrogen-containing carbon (C-N) films were synthesized on Si (100) substrates by hot-carbon filament chemical vapor deposition using a hot carbon filament and pure nitrogen gas as source materials. The atomic concentration of N in the synthesized films varied from 4.5 to 13.3% depending on the substrate temperature and the bias voltage applied to the substrate. The N Is core-level photoelectron spectra revealed that N atoms in the synthesized films exhibit two main chemical bonding states: threefold-coordinated N atoms bonded to fourfold-coordinated sp(3) C atoms and substitutional sp(2) N in graphite-like structures. On applying a positive bias voltage to the substrate during deposition, the surface morphology of the films changed drastically. The films synthesized on the grounded substrate showed plastic behavior, whereas those synthesized on the positively biased substrate showed elastic behavior. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.