Electrical properties and annealing effects on the stress of RF-sputtered c-BN films

• Published in: Materials letters 2000, Vol.45 (2), p.111-115
• Main Authors: Zhang, X.W, Zou, Y.J, Yan, H, Wang, B, Chen, G.H, Wong, S.P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Annealing; 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; Deposition by sputtering; Electrical properties; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Low-field transport and mobility; piezoresistance; Materials science; Mechanical and acoustical properties; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic; Physics; Stress; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-577X(00)00086-0

The c-BN films prepared by RF sputtering were annealed immediately at temperature ranging from 773 to 1373 K in air and vacuum, respectively. The thermal stability and the compressive film stress calculated from the frequency shift of cubic boron nitride (c-BN) infrared absorption peak were investigated. The results show that with increasing annealing temperatures the compressive film stress decreases significantly, and the adhesion of c-BN film is improved. The electrical measurements were performed for the annealed samples. The results show that the unintentionally doped c-BN films have n-type conductivity and the room temperature resistivity is in the range of 10 5–10 7 Ω cm, which is lower significantly than that of intrinsic bulk c-BN. The c-BN/p-Si heterojunction was fabricated and the I– V curve of this structure indicates typical semiconductor diode characteristics.