The interaction of nitrogen with solid C60: a photoemission spectroscopy study using synchrotron radiation

The effect of nitrogen on the valence orbitals of C60 has been studied by means of photoelectron spectroscopy. The incorporation of nitrogen into the C60 thin film was obtained after low-energy N2+ ion bombardment. The C60–N2+ reaction produces a smoothing and broadening of the characteristic peaks of the valence band of C60, indicating the formation of solid-state bands, and a damping of the C2s2p emission which is attributed to charge transfer at N atoms. The relative intensity increases in the C2p–N2p hybridization region. Fragmentation of C60 molecules by forming amorphous carbon nitride configurations is proposed.