Deposition of crystalline binary nitride films of tin, copper, and nickel by reactive sputtering

Crystalline binary nitride films of tin, copper, and nickel were prepared by reactive sputtering in a nitrogen plasma generated in a dc glow discharge. The chemical composition and thermal behavior of the films were established. The films were characterized by additional physicochemical techniques. Tin nitride, Sn3N4 has an electrical resistivity of 0.02 Ω cm and decomposes into the elements at a maximum rate at 615 °C. The thermal decomposition of Cu3N takes place at 465 °C, while Ni3N decomposes at 405 °C in a stepwise fashion through an intermediate stage at 305 °C. Tin, copper, and nickel nitride decompose into the elements. Nickel nitride crystallized in a new cubic phase with a lattice parameter of 0.446 nm.