Microstructure and mechanical properties of boron carbide thin films

• Published in: Materials letters 2002-12, Vol.57 (4), p.899-903
• Main Authors: Han, Zenghu, Li, Geyang, Tian, Jiawan, Gu, Mingyuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boron carbide thin films; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetron sputtering; Materials science; Mechanical and acoustical properties; Mechanical properties; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Microstructure; Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic; Physics; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-577X(02)00892-3

Boron carbide thin films were deposited on single-crystal silicon substrates with magnetron sputtering method at different temperatures using a sintered B 4C target. Auger electron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electronic microscopy were employed to characterize their chemical compositions and microstructure. Mechanical properties of the films were evaluated using a nanoindenter. The results show the as-deposited boron carbide films are amorphous or microcrystalline with high hardness and high modulus. With the increase of the substrate temperature, boron carbide films show a tendency of crystallization, and accordingly the hardness and modulus reach 50.4 and 420 GPa from 42.5 and 300 GPa, respectively.