Abstract

The prediction of a covalently bound carbon nitride solid β-C₃N₄ [1], with characteristics comparable to or even better than those of diamond, stimulated many attempts to synthesize and deposit thin carbon nitride films. In spite of almost a decade of search, this material has not yet been synthesized in stoichiometric phase. Nevertheless, it poses interesting issues about formation processes, C-N bonding states and CN_x film properties. Ion/atomic beam assisted depositions are most frequently used. We are obtaining good results by using the simple technique of reactive laser ablation [2].

© 1998 IEEE