On the low-temperature threshold for cubic boron nitride formation in energetic film deposition

• Published in: Diamond and related materials Vol. 5; no. 12; pp. 1519 - 1526
• Main Authors: McCarty, K.F., Mirkarimi, P.B., Medlin, D.L., Friedmann, T.A., Barbour, J.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.12.1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Cubic boron nitride growth; Exact sciences and technology; Graphitic boron nitride structure; Ion and electron beam-assisted deposition; ion plating; Low-temperature threshold; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Nucleation mechanisms; Physics; Low-temperature threshold; Nucleation mechanisms; Cubic boron nitride growth; Graphitic boron nitride structure; Temperature dependence; Cubic lattices; Inorganic compounds; Boron nitrides; Growth mechanism; Binary compounds; Crystal nucleation; Crystal growth from vapors; Experimental study; Substrates
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/S0925-9635(96)00580-8

The sharp threshold in substrate temperature below which cubic boron nitride (cBN) cannot be formed in energetic film-deposition processes was investigated. We found that cBN could be synthesized below the threshold temperature on top of cBN that had been previously formed above the threshold temperature. That the initial nucleation of cBN is more strongly dependent on temperature than its subsequent growth is suggested. How the structure of the sp 2-bonded BN that accompanied cBN growth changed with temperature was also investigated. Lowering the substrate temperature decreased the local ordering within the graphitic planes, and below the threshold temperature the separation of the graphitic planes increased dramatically. How these structural changes may influence the nucleation of cBN is discussed.