Abstract

We have undertaken a study on ternary nitrides as wide band gap materials for prospective electron emitters. A nitrogen plasma ignited inside a tuned 2.45GHz microwave cavity is chemically reactive. Both diamond and graphite are etched by this plasma. Disordered diamond crystals have been synthesized from mixtures of CH₄ and N₂. Attempts to make C₃N₄ have failed. Instead, disordered diamond particles embodied in amorphous para-cyanogen were obtained. It creates doubt that such a compound exist. However, these facts demonstrate the valuable chemical reactivity of nitrogen plasmas and point to novel synthesis of nitrides. A crystalline phase within the Si-N-C system was obtained when the surface of a silicon wafer was exposed to species created by etching graphite immersed in a nitrogen plasma. Crystals with square shape 3-5µm in size having a distinct x-ray diffraction pattern were produced.

© 1995 Optical Society of America