A spectroscopic study of CNx formation by the keV N2+ irradiation of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surfaces

Amorphous carbon nitride (CNx) thin layer, formed by the keV N2+ irradiation of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, has been investigated using X-ray photoelectron and raman spectroscopies, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. C1s X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) peak separations indicate that C–N bonds form over and above the graphite fragmentation previously obtained on Ar+ irradiation. N1s XPS peak separations indicate three components. Their attributions, and the resultant CNx structure, are confirmed by angle-resolved XPS and TOF–SIMS analyses.