Spectroscopic study using FTIR, Raman, XPS and NEXAFS of carbon nitride thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering

A good correlation is observed between the evolution of the π* electron states as calculated from NEXAFS, the evolution of the sp2 bonding of carbon observed in XPS, and the evolution of the electrical and optical properties of the films. These results combined with FTIR and Raman analysis and the elemental composition determined by nuclear microanalysis allow to follow the evolution of the local structure with the deposition conditions in a-CNx films.