Effects of irradiation by low energy nitrogen ions on carbon nitride thin films

Carbon nitride (CNx) thin films have been prepared by hot carbon filament chemical vapor deposition, and the nitrogen content in the films is approximately 0.05. The CNx films have been irradiated by 0.1 keV nitrogen ions to increase the nitrogen content after deposition. The nitrogen content in the CNx films was obtained with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to study microstructures of the films. The experimental results show that nitrogen ions are chemically combined with the CNx films and as a result the nitrogen content increases up to approximately 0.30. Furthermore, it is found that nitrogen ions change the film microstructures and sputter the surfaces of CNx films.