2 DIFFERENT DOMAINS IN A CUBIC BORON-NITRIDE(111) SURFACE OBSERVED BYFRICTION FORCE MICROSCOPY

A single-crystalline cubic boron nitride (c-BN) (111) surface has been studied by atomic force microscopy with simultaneous measurements of normal atomic force (constant height mode and constant force mode) and lateral (friction) force in air. On the friction force mode the diffe rent two domains observed can be attributed to the termination of the surface; boron (A side) or nitrogen (B side). 2.6 Angstrom periodicity corresponding to the 1 x 1 surface unit cell as of c-BN (111) (a(s) = a(0)/root 2 = 2.56 Angstrom, where a(0) is the lattice constant, 3.62 Angstrom) has been observed also on the friction force mode, which is in agreement with our low-energy electron diffraction measurement. (C ) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951-(98)00845-6].