Production and deposition of CN radicals to produce amorphous carbon nitride films with high [N]/([N] + [C]) ratio

The dissociative excitation reaction of BrCN with the microwave discharge flow of Ar was studied on the basis of the laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy and electrostatic-probe analysis. The CN(A2Πi − X2Σ+), 4-0, 5-1, and 7-2 bands were observed by LIF, from which the density of CN(X2Σ+) was evaluated as 9.9 × 1017 m− 3. The intensities of the LIF spectra of the 3P1–3P2 and 3P2–3P2 transitions of Ar were negligibly weak under the steady-state condition introducing BrCN. Therefore, the contribution of Ar(3P2) was negligible to the dissociation process. A kinetic analysis based on the densities of CN(X2Σ+) and electrons revealed that the dissociation proceeds almost uniquely via the charge transfer from Ar+ followed by the ion–electron recombination and that the dominant quenching process of CN(X2Σ+) was reaction with BrCN.