HIGH-RATE DEPOSITION OF CBN FILMS BY ION-BEAM-ASSISTED VAPOR-DEPOSITION

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) films were deposited by ion-beam-assisted va por deposition method. Effects of the ion current density, the baron d eposition rate, the composition of the supplied gas into the ion sourc e on the cBN formation range and deposition;rate at an ion energy of 0 .5 keV were studied. cBN films were obtained at almost constant ratio of boron deposition rate to ion current density, depending on the comp osition of the supplied gas. The deposition rate of cBN films, whose m aximum was 0.5 nm s(-1) increased almost linearly with increasing the boron deposition rate. The grain sizes of the obtained films were incr eased with increasing the cBN deposition rate. The diffraction pattern s from cBN (111), (220), (311), and (222) were observed on the transmi ssion electron diffraction. (C) 1998 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-2 101(98)01506-1].