Résumé : Carbon nitride (CNx) films were deposited onto Si substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering at nitrogen pressures up to 0.3Pa (the resulting nitrogen concentration ranged from 32 to 41%). Their optical properties, structure and bonding were characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The films exhibit a behavior typical for disordered systems, and no known C3N4 structure was identified. A pronounced effect of the nitrogen partial pressure is found for the low pressure region. The presence of various types of C-N bond, as well as of hydrogen and oxygen, is revealed. The complementarity of information inferred from Raman and IR spectra is discussed. © 1999 Elsevier Science S.A.