SURFACE-STRUCTURE OF SINGLE-CRYSTAL CUBIC BORON-NITRIDE(111) STUDIED BY LEED, EELS, AND AES

The surface symmetry of cubic boron nitride (111) (c-BN) is characteri zed by low-electron energy diffraction. The polished c-BN (111) and hy drogen-plasma-treated sample both exhibit a 1x1 surface structure. The surface is effectively etched by hydrogen plasma. High-resolution Aug er and electron-energy-loss spectroscopy studies confirmed that the hy drogen-etched surface retains the integrity of crystalline c-BN (111). Characteristic energy-loss peaks at 15 eV due to an interband transit ion and at 37 eV due to a bulk plasmon can be observed on the single-c rystal surface, even though they are usually absent from the energy-lo ss spectra of pyrolytic or polycrystalline BN samples.