CORRELATION OF BORON AND NITROGEN CONTENTS WITH THE FLUX OF ENERGETICAR+ IONS AT THE SUBSTRATE DURING THE DEPOSITION OF BN COATINGS BY RF MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

Thin films of BNxOy have been deposited by RF magnetron sputtering fro m a BN target in Ar plasma (1 Pa) at different substrate RF bias condi tions. The possibility of obtaining high-quality BN coatings at a targ et-substrate distance greater than the mean free path of B and N atoms has been investigated. The discharge characteristics have been measur ed by means of an electrostatic probe of the Langmuir type. The flux a nd energy of the Ar+ ions have been determined and correlated to the n et contents of boron and nitrogen as measured by means of the N(d,p) a nd B-11(p:a) nuclear reactions. The results deduced by XRD, FTIR and n anohardness measurements show that under the experimental conditions u sed, the flux of Ar+ ions at the substrates is insufficient to promote the formation of crystalline BN films. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.