Influence of RF power on the electrical and mechanical properties of nano-structured carbon nitride thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering

Nano structured carbon nitride thin films were deposited at different RF powers in the range of 50 W to 225 W and constant gas ratio of (argon: nitrogen) Ar:N2 by RF magnetron sputtering. The atomic percentage of Nitrogen: Carbon (N/C) content and impedance of the films increased from 14.36% to 22.31% and 9 × 10−1 Ω to 7 × 105 Ω respectively with increase in RF power. The hardness of the deposited films increased from 3.12 GPa to 13.12 GPa. The increase in sp3 hybridized C–N sites and decrease of grain size with increase in RF power is responsible for such variation of observed mechanical and electrical properties.