The influence of a magnetic field on a crystalline structure of carbon nitride thin films deposition

Carbon nitride (C/sub x/N/sub y/) thin films are grown at room temperature on Si [100] substrates by reactive cathodic sputtering assisted by pulsed laser ablation of a pure graphite target with/without magnetic field assistance. The magnetic field results in an increase of crystallite size in the films due to bombardment of the Si substrates by energetic carbon and nitrogen species generated during cyclomagnetron motion of electrons in the discharge zone. An increase in nitrogen content is accompanied by a decrease in the content of sp/sup 3/-bonded carbon characteristic of the /spl beta/-C/sub 3/N/sub 4/ structure.