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1993
Journal Article
Titel
Growth of cubic Boron Nitride and Boron-Carbon-Nitrogen coatings using N-Trimethylborazine in an ECR plasma process
Abstract
N-Trimethylborazine vapour was fed into the downstream region of an ECR plasma source to deposit cubic boron nitride and hard boron-carbon-nitrogen coatings (BCN:H). For the growth of nanocrystalline cubic boron nitride an argon/nitrogen mixture was used as plasma gas and the substrate was heated to a temperature of bigger than 800 degree Celsius. Furthermore a negative substrate bias was applied by connecting the substrate holder with a low frequency (100-450 kHz) generator. The application of a negative substrate bias is essential for the formation of a high cubic BN fraction in the coatings. The influence of gas composition, pressure, substrate temperature, MW power, and substrate bias on the growth of cubic boron nitride will be discussed. Using argon as plasma gas N-trimethylborazine lead to hard BCN:H films if a negative bias is applied at the substrate and no external substrate heating is employed. These BCN:H coatings exhibit mechanical properties comparable with diamondlike a- C:H material but show in contrast to a-C:H a higher transparancy. The elemental composition and properties of the BCN:H films depend on the growth conditions and will be discussed. The BN and BCN:H coatings were characterized by EPMA, XRD, XPS, UV/VIS, and IR spectroscopy. N-Trimethylborazine is a non-corrosive and nonexplosive liquid with a low toxicity. Due to this merits the processing compared to diborane or borontrihalides is uncomplicated and promising for future applications of cubic boron nitride.
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