Boron nitride thin films synthesized by reactive sputtering

Boron nitride (BN) thin films were deposited on single-crystal silicon(100) substrates by reactive rf sputtering technique using a boron metal target. A mixed gas of nitrogen and argon was used for sputtering. Different negative bias voltages ranging from 0 to - 300 V were applied on the substrates. The characterization of films was carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). FTIR analysis indicates that both sp(2)- and sp(3)-bunded BN exist in the film synthesized at -150 V bias voltage. By TEM microstructure analysis, the mixed phases in the same sample was also confirmed. (C) 2000 Elsevier science Ltd. All rights reserved.