STRAIN RELAXATION OF BORON-NITRIDE THIN-FILMS ON SILICON

Exploiting the high brilliance of synchrotron radiation, we performed surface-sensitive and depth-resolved x-ray scattering experiments on t hin films of boron nitride grown on Si(001) substrates. In-plane strai ns of different structural phases, namely turbostratic and cubic, grai n sizes and textures were determined. Annealing the films up to temper atures of 1000 degrees C leads to large strain relaxation of about 70% , while the grain size stays constant at 80 Angstrom. (C) 1998 America n Institute of Physics.