Copper nitride thin films prepared by the RF plasma chemical reactor with low pressure supersonic single and multi-plasma jet system

The RF plasma chemical reactor with low pressure supersonic plasma jet system (RPJ) has been used for deposition of Cu 3 N thin films. From comparison of experimental values of composition weight per cent with theoretically predicted ones, and from XRD analysis, it follows that if the RF power absorbed in the reactor does not exceed 75 W, stoichiometric Cu 3 N films are achieved. The typical value of deposition growth rate was found to be on the order of 16 nm/min for RF power P w ≈40 W. The optical energy gap E g and microhardness H of the deposited Cu 3 N thin films increased with decreasing RF power. They are E g =1.24 eV and H =8.8 GPa for the sample deposited at RF power 40 W. For RF power higher than approximately 75 W, it appears that a small amount of Cu microparticles, up to ∼1 μm, is diluted in the Cu 3 N film. The deposition of the microparticles can be explained by local overheating of the probe surface by RF power absorbed in RF hollow cathode discharge.