Raman spectroscopic study of magnetron sputtered carbon–nickel and carbon nitride–nickel composite films: The effect of nickel on the atomic structure of the C/CN matrix

Abstract Carbon (C), carbon nitride (CN x ), C–nickel and CN x –nickel films were deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering onto oxidized (100) Si substrates, at 25, 200, and 500 °C growth temperatures. Raman spectroscopy was used to examine the bonding structure of C and CN x , and to investigate the effect of the Ni dispersed phase on the atomic structure of the C or CN x matrix of composite films. The atomic structure of the matrix is different for the C–Ni and for the CN x –Ni films. In the C and C–Ni films graphene-like sp 2 -ordering, in the CN x and CN x –Ni films fullerene-like sp 2 -ordering was found. For both types of composite films, the presence of the dispersed phase enhances the sp 2 -ordering of the matrix.