Carbon Nitride Films

RECENT THEORETICAL WORKS HAVE PREDICTED A CARBON NITROGEN COMPOUND (C3N4 IN A Si3N4 CONFIGURATION) WHICH WOULD POSSES A STRENGTH ON THE ORDER OF AND POSIIBLY EVEN GREATER THAN THAT OF DIAMOND. IN ADDITION TO HARDNESS ITS THERMAL, ELECTRICAL, AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES PROMISE TO BE VERY INTERESTING. THE PRODUCTION OF SUCH A MATERIAL WOULD BE VERY SIGNIFICANT AND PRESENT A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR A WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS. SUCH APPLICATIONS INCLUDE ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, OPTICAL MATERIALS, TRIBOLOGICAL/OPTICAL COATINGS. TO DATE A FEW RESEARCHERS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO PRODUCE THIS MATERIAL, WITHOUT SUCCESS. HARD CARBON NITROGEN CONTAINING MATERIALS HAVE BEEN FORMED BUT THEY DO NOT MATCH THE PROPERTIES OF C3N4. WE PROPOSE TO ATTEMPT TO PRODUCE C3N4 FILMS IN A HYBRID DEPOSITION SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE PRODUCTION OF C3N4 FILMS. THE SYSTEM COMBINES THE BENEFITS OF ION BEAM DEPOSITION SYTEMS WITH THOSE OF PLASMA ENHANCED LOW PRESSURE CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION SYSTEMS. THE PROCESS PARAMETERS FOR THE HYBRID DEPOSITION OF CxNy FILMS WILL BE INVESTIGATED. FILMS WILL BE DEPOSITED ON Al, ZrO AND Si SUBSTRATES. FILMS PROPERTIES WILL BE CHARACTERIZED USING TEM, FTIR, SEM, AES OR SIMS, COMBUSION ANALYSIS, RESISTIVITY, AND HALL MEASUREMENTS. IN PHASE II, THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THESE MATERIALS WOULD BE PURSUED. IN PHASE III, PROCESS TECHNOLOGY AS WELL AS FILMS WOULD BE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE.