article published Christian Wieschhoff author Chantal Theile-Rasche author Fuzeng Wang author Michael Prib author Viktoria Daniela Dorothea Moldt author Guido Grundmeier author 194 Nieves López Salas author Maria Teresa de los Arcos de Pedro author 545560000-0002-8684-273X 302 department <jats:p>Magnetron-sputtered CNx thin films are primarily employed as hard, low-friction protective and tribological coatings, as solar cells, and for catalytic applications. Lower growth rates and a reduced N content, favoring graphitic sp2 structures, hinder industrial scalability due to prolonged deposition times and produce softer, less dense films with inferior hardness, elasticity, and wear resistance. Carbon nitride films deposited by magnetron sputtering exhibit growth behavior strongly influenced by plasma–surface interactions. However, nitrogen resputtering and reduced film growth rates are commonly attributed to chemical etching by positive ions. We propose an additional, unreported power-dependent mechanism involving negative ions formed at the carbon target. These ions are accelerated through the plasma sheath, reaching the substrate with high kinetic energy and inducing both chemical and physical resputtering. This effect is localized to the geometrical projection of the target, as shown by spatially resolved analysis: ellipsometry reveals thickness reduction, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy indicate nitrogen depletion within this region. Correlation between stoichiometry and structural signatures confirms the decisive role of negative ions in modifying the film composition and microstructure. At the same time, the composition of the gas mixture exerts only a minor effect.</jats:p> AIP Publishing2026 eng 0021-8979 1089-755010.1063/5.0335780 13924 C. Wieschhoff <i>et al.</i>, “Influence of negative ions on the stoichiometry and structure of carbon nitride films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering,” <i>Journal of Applied Physics</i>, vol. 139, no. 24, Art. no. 243301, 2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0335780">10.1063/5.0335780</a>. Wieschhoff, C., Theile-Rasche, C., Wang, F., Prib, M., Moldt, V. D. D., Grundmeier, G., Salas, N. L., &#38; de los Arcos de Pedro, M. T. (2026). Influence of negative ions on the stoichiometry and structure of carbon nitride films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. <i>Journal of Applied Physics</i>, <i>139</i>(24), Article 243301. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0335780">https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0335780</a> C. Wieschhoff, C. Theile-Rasche, F. Wang, M. Prib, V.D.D. Moldt, G. Grundmeier, N.L. Salas, M.T. de los Arcos de Pedro, Journal of Applied Physics 139 (2026). Wieschhoff, Christian, Chantal Theile-Rasche, Fuzeng Wang, Michael Prib, Viktoria Daniela Dorothea Moldt, Guido Grundmeier, Nieves López Salas, and Maria Teresa de los Arcos de Pedro. “Influence of Negative Ions on the Stoichiometry and Structure of Carbon Nitride Films Deposited by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering.” <i>Journal of Applied Physics</i> 139, no. 24 (2026). <a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0335780">https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0335780</a>. Wieschhoff, Christian, et al. “Influence of Negative Ions on the Stoichiometry and Structure of Carbon Nitride Films Deposited by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering.” <i>Journal of Applied Physics</i>, vol. 139, no. 24, 243301, AIP Publishing, 2026, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0335780">10.1063/5.0335780</a>. @article{Wieschhoff_Theile-Rasche_Wang_Prib_Moldt_Grundmeier_Salas_de los Arcos de Pedro_2026, title={Influence of negative ions on the stoichiometry and structure of carbon nitride films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering}, volume={139}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0335780">10.1063/5.0335780</a>}, number={24243301}, journal={Journal of Applied Physics}, publisher={AIP Publishing}, author={Wieschhoff, Christian and Theile-Rasche, Chantal and Wang, Fuzeng and Prib, Michael and Moldt, Viktoria Daniela Dorothea and Grundmeier, Guido and Salas, Nieves López and de los Arcos de Pedro, Maria Teresa}, year={2026} } Wieschhoff C, Theile-Rasche C, Wang F, et al. Influence of negative ions on the stoichiometry and structure of carbon nitride films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. <i>Journal of Applied Physics</i>. 2026;139(24). doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0335780">10.1063/5.0335780</a> 660402026-06-25T12:15:04Z2026-06-25T12:18:17Z