Structural and compositional study of B-C-N films produced by laser ablation of B4C targets in N-2 atmosphere

In this work, we report on a structural and compositional characterization of B-C-N thin films deposited by laser reactive ablation of a B4C target, i n low-pressure (5 Pa) nitrogen atmosphere. For target ablation, a KrF excim er laser (lambda = 248 nm, tau = 20 ns) has been used, at the fluences of 6 and 12 J/cm(2). Films have been deposited on silicon (100) substrates at r oom temperature. Scanning electron miroscopy (SEM), Auger electron spectros copy (AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-night secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), and Fourier transform-infrared spectrosc opy (FT-IR) characterization techniques were used to analyze the compositio n and the structure of the deposited films. The film results to be a mixtur e of sp(2)/sp(3) BN and sp(2)/sp(3) nitrogenated C phases. The concentratio n of the different BN phases depends on the used laser fluence for the depo sition of the film. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.