XPS and NRA depth profiling of nitrogen and carbon simultaneously implanted into copper to synthesize C3N4 like compounds

The chemical bonds between carbon and nitrogen were studied as a function of depth by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The C 1s and N 1s core level photoelectron spectra revealed the presence of different types of C-N bonds, which correspond to specific kinds of chemical states. These results indicate that different carbon nitride compounds have been formed during the implantation.