Luminescence of thulium-activated cubic boron nitride

Under high pressure and temperature conditions, we have obtained samples of thulium-activated cubic boron nitride in the form of micropowders, ceramics, and polycrystals activated by thulium in the presence of aluminum. We studied the cathodoluminescence (CL), photoluminescence (PL), and photoluminescence excitation spectra of the samples. In the luminescence spectra we observe structured bands with maxima at ∼370, ∼475, ∼660, and ∼ 800 nm, assigned to electronic transitions in the triply charged thulium ions. We have established that the most efficient method for excitation of “blue” luminescence at ∼475 nm for thulium ions in cBN is excitation by an electron beam. The cBN samples synthesized in the presence of Al have photoluminescence spectra with a more complex structure compared with samples not containing Al, with the band of dominant intensity at about 660 nm. Hypothetically, this is a consequence of incorporation of thulium ions into the crystalline phases cBN and AlN, which are equally likely to be formed during synthesis. The observed photoluminescence spectrum of the indicated samples is the superposition of the photoluminescence spectra of the Tm³⁺ ions located in the crystal fields of cBN and AlN of different symmetries. The presence in the photoluminescence excitation spectra (at 450, 490, and 660 nm) of structure, with features at wavelengths shorter than the excited photoluminescence, suggests a nonresonant mechanism for its excitation. We have established that luminescence of Tm³⁺ ions is less intense than for other rare earth elements incorporated into cubic boron nitride. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 75, No. 4, pp. 547–555, July–August, 2008.     

Luminescence of samarium-activated cubic boron nitride

Under high pressure conditions, we have obtained samples of samarium-activated cubic boron nitride in the form of micropowders, ceramic samples, and polycrystals having high-intensity discrete photoluminescence in the red region of the spectrum that is stable in the temperature range 6 K to 300 K and is assigned to internal f-f electronic transitions in the Sm³⁺ ions. The materials obtained on the basis of cBN are intended for use as phosphors and light emitters (sources of red light) having thermal and chemical stability. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 75, No. 1, pp. 88–93, January–February, 2008.     

立方氮化硼薄膜的最新研究进展

立方氮化硼(cBN)作为一种在自然界中并不存在的人造材料具有优异的理化特性. 在超硬刀具、高温电子器件和光学保护膜等领域有着广泛的应用前景,已经成为材料科学的研究热点之一. 但是气相生长高质量cBN薄膜仍然还有许多难点需要攻克. 在综述近几年cBN薄膜研究所取得的一些突破性进展后,结合研究现状提出今后可能的主要研究方向. 关键词： 立方氮化硼薄膜 压缩应力 异质外延 掺杂     

立方氮化硼薄膜沉积过程的相变研究

从能量和结构两个角度分析了BN四种相的转变过程，以及杂质和缺陷对立方氮化硼(c-BN)薄膜制备的影响.研究了从六角氮化硼(h-BN)到c-BN转变的一个可能的过程，即h-BN→菱形氮化硼(r-BN)→c-BN过程.对纯的h-BN到r-BN的转变需要克服一个很高的能量势垒，在实验室条件下很难能够提供能量来越过这个势垒.而从r-BN到c-BN的转变只需要克服一个很低的能量势垒.这个能量势垒要低于从h-BN到纤锌矿氮化硼(w-BN)转变所需要克服的能量势垒.c-BN薄膜的制备过程中，薄膜在高能粒子轰击下，会产生大量的缺陷，这些缺陷对立方相的形成起到了重要的作用，缺陷和杂质的存在大大降低了从h-BN到r-BN转变的能量势垒.根据这个理论模型，在两步法制备c-BN薄膜的基础上，调整实验参数，形成三步法制备高质量c-BN薄膜.主要研究了三步法中第一步的时间和衬底负偏压对c-BN薄膜制备的影响，找到合适的沉积时间和衬底负偏压分别为5min和-180V.采用三步法制备薄膜，可以重复得到高立方相体积分数(立方相体积分数超过80%)的BN薄膜，并且实验重复性达到70%以上. 关键词： 立方氮化硼 能量势垒 缺陷 衬底偏压     

Raman scattering of light in doped cubic boron nitride

The Raman spectra of single crystals of cubic boron nitride (cBN) doped with beryllium and also synthesized in the absence of dopants are investigated. It is shown that the wide bands at 215 and 535 cm^–1 can be registered in the Raman spectra of the ( ) faces of undoped cBN crystals and that the Be impurity penetrates into the cBN crystals predominantly in the direction of these faces. In the spectra of the investigated cBN samples doped with Be, the contour of the TO and LO phonon lines does not take the Fano shape, in contrast to diamond, which can point to an insufficient concentration of the dopant for attaining the Fano interference or to the absence of it in cBN. The wide bands have been investigated on the assumption that they are boson-like and result from small-size disorders in both undoped and doped cBN samples with the sp ³ bond deformed by Be.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 71, No. 6, pp. 803–809, November–December, 2004.This revised version was published online in April 2005 with a corrected cover date.