Phase formation of boron nitride thin films under the influence of impurity atoms

• Published in: Diamond and related materials 2003-03, Vol.12 (3), p.1173-1177
• Main Authors: Eyhusen, S., Ronning, C., Hofsäss, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Cubic boron nitride; Electrical properties; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Impurity characterization; Ion and electron beam-assisted deposition; ion plating; Ion beam deposition; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Other inorganic semiconductors; Physics; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/S0925-9635(02)00275-3

Boron nitride thin films have been prepared via mass selected ion beam deposition (MSIBD) by alternating deposition of 11B +, 14N + and 31P + ions with ion energies between 200 and 500 eV and substrate temperatures ranging from 200 to 280 °C. The phase formation as a function of the P + ion fraction was studied using infrared absorption spectroscopy (FTIR). The thresholds of substrate temperature and ion energy, which are required to nucleate cubic boron nitride using MSIBD are shifted to higher values with increasing P content. Electrical measurements showed Frenkel–Poole emission as conduction mechanism but without any apparent dependence of the phosphorous content on the conductivity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was applied to probe the B, N and P core-level states, indicating a substitution of nitrogen atoms by phosphorous and formation of BP bonds.