Abstract
Amorphous carbon nitride thin films were synthesized in a mixture of C2H2, N2 and Ar as the precursor by the electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition system equipped with a dc bias to the substrate of silicon. The film prepared as such was further treated in an argon plasma obviously to increase the surface roughness to became a better electron emitter. The onset emission field as low as 3.5 Vμm-1 can be achieved (after Ar+ plasma sputtering for 3 min ) in comparison with other carbon-based electron field emitters. This fact is mainly attributed to the increase of film roughness, decrease of film thickness, and removal of hydrogen from the film. Plasma chemistry was investigated by OES system during the deposition process. The film growth rate that can reach is as high as ~0.5 μm/min. Raman scattering spectra show that all the amorphous carbon nitride films have a graphite structure. The strong absorption band in the range 1000-1700 cm-1 of the FTIR spectrum is the direct evidence of the nitrogen that incorporated into carbon network. XPS and AES analysis shows N/C=0.35 of amorphous carbon nitride film and there are two different phases of the carbon nitride compound in the film.