Microstructure of c-BN thin films deposited on diamond films

Citation
J. Pascallon et al., Microstructure of c-BN thin films deposited on diamond films, DIAM RELAT, 8(2-5), 1999, pp. 325-330
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
Apllied Physucs/Condensed Matter/Materiales Science","Material Science & Engineering
Journal title
DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS
ISSN journal
09259635 → ACNP
Volume
8
Issue
2-5
Year of publication
1999
Pages
325 - 330
Database
ISI
SICI code
0925-9635(199903)8:2-5<325:MOCTFD>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
Diamond films were used as substrates for cubic boron nitride (c-BN) thin f ilm deposition. The c-BN films were deposited by ion beam assisted depositi on (IBAD) using a mixture of nitrogen and argon ions on diamond films. The diamond films exhibiting different values of surface roughness ranging from 16 to 200 nm (in R-rms) were deposited on Si substrates by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The microstructure of these c-BN films has been studied using in situ reflexion electron energy loss spectroscopy analyses at different primary energy values, Fourier transform infrared spectroscop y and high resolution transmission microscopy. The fraction of cubic phase in the c-BN films was depending on the roughness of the diamond surface. It was optimized in the case of the smooth surface presenting no particular g eometrical effect for the incoming energetic nitrogen and argon ions during the deposition. The films showed a nanocrystalline cubic structure with co lumnar grains while the near surface region was sp(2) bonded. The films exh ibit the commonly observed layered structure of c-BN films, that is, a well textured c-BN volume lying on a h-BN basal layer with the (00.2) planes pe rpendicular to the substrate. The formation mechanism of c-BN films by IBAD , still involving a h-BN basal sublayer, does not depend on the substrate n ature. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.