Amorphous carbon nitride films were deposited on Si(001) substrates by a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique (PECVD) using $CH_4$and $N_2$as reaction gases. The growth and film properties were investigated while the gas ratio and the working pressure were changed systematically. At 1 Torr working pressure, an increase in the $N_2$partial pressure results in a significant increase of the deposition rate as well as an apparent presence of C ≡N bonding, while little affecting the microstructure and amorphus nature of the films. In the case of changing the working pressure at a fixed $N_2$partial pressure of 98%, a film grown at a medium pressure of $1${ imes}$10^{-2}$</TEX> Torr shows the most prominent C=N bonding nature and photoluminescent property.