Characterization of boron nitride thin films synthesized by plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition technique

Abstract

Boron nitride (BN) is a well-known non-oxide ceramic that has interesting and useful properties for potential industrial applications. The attractive properties of BN include its high-temperature shock stability, high electrical resistivity, anisotropic thermal conductivity and desirable mechanical properties. The potential uses of BN films include oxidation-resistant and anti-corrosive coatings, sensors, optical devices, and high temperature electronics. Thin films of BN have been obtained by a variety of growth techniques including sputtering, ion plating, evaporation, and chemical vapor deposition and associated techniques. To optimize the growth parameters and the performance of BN films, advanced electron microscopy techniques have been employed to study the structural evolution of BN films synthesized by plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition technique (PACVD).The BN films were grown in a capacitively coupled rf plasma reactor with a feedstock of diborane (B2H6), ammonia (NH3), and hydrogen (H2). The growth parameters were the same as previously reported. Chemical analyses of the grown BN films showed that they had significantly more boron (44 at.%) than nitrogen (33 at.%) and contained a large amount of hydrogen (23 at.%).