Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
A metastable C-Si-N compound has been synthesized by high dose N+ implantation into polycrystalline /8-SiC (cubic phase). The thin films formed upon 100 keV implantations were characterized with respect to various ion doses and target temperatures. X-ray diffraction with a position-sensitive detector and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy revealed that the as-implanted surfaces contained ∼0.15 jttm thick continuously-buried amorphous layers. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy showed that the peak concentration of nitrogen saturated up to approximately 54 at. % with increasing doses, suggesting a new phase formation.