Micro-mechanical properties of ion-plated carbon nitride thin films

Carbon nitride films have been synthesized by using several processes of film deposition techniques including plasma-CVD, sputtering and ion-beam deposition, etc., according to outstanding properties of the super-hard cubic or beta-type C3N4 compound. We also prepared the carbon nitride films with magnetically enhanced plasma ion-plating method. The carbon nitride films were deposited on Si substrate through the reactive evaporation process in carbon vapor and nitrogen plasma. The mechanical properties of the films deposited under various conditions have been surveyed and their nano-indentation characteristics have been especially investigated. The hardness of the films showed comparatively low values approximately 2–8 GPa. The hardness of films was lower than that of silicon substrate. However, the films have shown a large amount of elastic recovery on unloading, even if they did not have any resistance for penetration on loading.