S. Logothetidis et al., A comparative study of composition, structure and elastic properties of boron nitride films deposited by magnetron and ion beam sputtering, DIAM RELAT, 8(2-5), 1999, pp. 410-414
Sputtering from hexagonal BN targets, using a conventional magnetron (MS) o
r ion beam (IBS), produces films consisting of both sp(2)- and sp(3)-bonded
BN and BNx. We present here the dependence of BN film composition, structu
re, morphology and elastic properties on the bias voltage (V-b) applied on
the substrate in the case of MS, compared with those of IBS-deposited BN fi
lms. The optical properties and the composition of the BN films were examin
ed by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), whereas the chemical bonding was ide
ntified by Fourier Transform IR SE. The films' structure, morphology and de
nsity were also examined by X-ray diffraction and reflectivity and transmis
sion electron microscopy. The elastic properties of the films were studied
by nanoindentation techniques. Significant differences were found in compos
ition, chemical bonding and structure of films grown by MS at various bias
voltages. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.