Synthesis of Hexagonal Boron Carbonitride without Nitrogen Void Defects

Abstract

The synthesis and structure of hexagonal boron carbonitride (h-BCN) film on polycrystalline diamond surface were reported. Polycrystalline diamond and/or diamond-like carbon were first fabricated on Si (100) and then diamond like carbon was used as substrate. The deposition was performed by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. In order to reduce the content of nitrogen void defects, the deposition was performed at the high temperature of 950°C under the working pressure of 2.6 Pa. The typical sample with atomic composition of B31 C37 N26 O6 in the h-BCN lattice was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The fine structure of the film was studied by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) measurements. The B K-edge and N K-edge of NEXAFS spectra revealed that the synthesized h-BCN film had the ideal honeycomb- like BN3 configuration without nitrogen void defects.