Characterization of interface of c-BN film deposited on silicon(100) substrate

The interfacial microstructure of cubic boron nitride (c-BN) film deposited on single silicon substrate using magnetically enhanced active reaction ev aporation (ME-ARE) has been investigated through thinning methods, in which X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTI R) absorption spectroscopy were used for compositional and microstructure a nalysis. c-BN film was etched at size 4 x 4mm(2) by argon ion in XPS equipm ent to obtain depth concentration profile of the BN film and B 1s XPS spect ra at different etching depth. FTIR was alternately used to determine the m icrostructure of the BN film at different etching depth. The results show t hat a thin layer of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) phase exists at the inte rface between c-BN layer and substrate. In addition, transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction further confirm above the conclusion. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.