Chemical vapor deposition of a-CN_x:H films for electron field emission using band supermagnetron plasma

A supermagnetron plasma apparatus with two band magnetron cathodes, which can form uniform magnetron plasma under a stationary magnetic field (about 160 G), was used to deposit a-CN_x:H films at N₂ gas concentrations of 0 and 70%. A high deposition rate of about 85±5 nm/min was obtained at a low dc self-bias voltage, between -20 and -62 V. The optical band gap could be controlled between 1.1 and 3.8 eV. The double-layer a-CN_x:H films with optical band gaps of 2.2 eV (upper layer; N₂ 0%) and 1.5 eV (lower layer; N₂ 70%) formed on p-Si substrate showed a low-threshold-emission electric field of 9 V/μm