Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 April 2009
The present work is an investigation of the chemical composition and growth profile of an hydrogenated amorphous carbon nitride film (a-CN:H) deposited by atmospheric pressure Townsend discharge in C2H4/N2. Various surface characterization techniques were used to evaluate the coatings properties (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Profilometry, Scanning Electron Microscopy). The coating obtained presented a high N/C ratio and a high concentration of N-functionalities. The results revealed two different growth mechanisms depending on the residence time of the precursor molecules; at first, the growth is mainly due to radicals then a powder formation mechanism appears, therefore leading to different chemical composition and surface properties.