LASER-ABLATION AND DEPOSITION OF BORON-NITRIDE IN A VACUUM AND IN THEPRESENCE OF N-2 AND NH3

Hexagonal boron nitride pellets have been evaporated by a doubled Nd:Y AG laser, and the removed material has been deposited on to Si (100) s ubstrates. The ablation has been performed either in a vacuum or in th e presence of nitrogen and ammonia at different pressures. The laser f luence and substrate temperature have been varied to optimise the depo sition conditions. The best films, from a morphological and compositio nal point of view, were deposited in a nitrogen atmosphere at room tem perature. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.