Reactive sputtering of carbon and carbide targets in nitrogen

Paracyanogenlike films – (CN)n– are prepared by reactive rf sputtering of carbon in nitrogen. The material is deposited on quartz, silicon, metals, sapphire, and mica from 20° to 450°C. Above 450°C, there is no film accumulation on the substrates. The sputtering process yields a deposition rate greater than ten times the best known commercial method for paracyanogen film preparation. Also described are the results of sputtering carbide targets i.e. HfC, TiC, SiC, in the presence of nitrogen. Due to the stability of the C≡N bond, for example, stoichiometric Si3N4 films unexpectedly were deposited from a SiC target sputtered in N2. Similar results are described for HfC and TiC targets.