Poker D B. Synthesis of metastable carbonsilicon-nitrogen compounds by ion implantation

The feasibility of carbon-silicon nitride formation (6-Sil.5C1.5N4, the homologue of equilibrium ~-Si3N 4or hypothetical 6-C3N 4) has been investigated by high dose N § implantation i to polycrystalline 6-SIC (cubic phase). Thin films were formed using 100 keV implantations with varying ion doses and target emperatures. X-ray diffraction with a position-sensitive d tector and cross-sectional trans-mission electron microscopy revealed that the as-implanted surfaces contained ~0.1 ~m thick buried amorphous layers. Rutherford backscattering spectros-copy showed that the peak concentration f nitrogen saturated up to approxi-mately 54 at. % with increasing doses, suggesting formation of a new phase. Key words: Carbon-silicon nitride, ion-implantation, Si