立方氮化硼薄膜生长过程中的界面控制

在立方氮化硼薄膜气相生长过程中生成的无定形初期层和乱层结构氮化硼中间层，一直是阻碍立方氮化硼薄膜外延生长的主要原因.系统地分析了硅衬底预处理对立方氮化硼薄膜中无定形初期层成分的影响，发现在等离子体化学气相生长法制备薄膜时，硅衬底上形成无定形初期层的可能原因有氧的存在、离子轰击以及高温下硅的氮化物的形成.在H₂气氛中1200K热处理硅衬底可以有效地减少真空室中残留氧浓度，除去硅表面的自然氧化层，保持硅衬底表面晶体结构.控制衬底温度不超过900 K，就能防止硅的氮化物的形成，成功地除去无 关键词： 立方氮化硼薄膜 等离子体化学气相生长 界面 电子显微镜     

Synchrotron-radiation-induced deposition of boron and boron carbide films from boranes and carboranes II: Nido-2,3-diethyl-2,3-dicarbahexaborane

Boron-carbon thin films have been successfully deposited on Si (111) from the synchrotron radiation induced decomposition of the nido-2,3-diethyl-dicarbahexaborane, (CH₃CH₂)₂C₂B₄H₆. There are indications that molecular precursor states to complete dissociation exist, and that dissociation is the rate limiting step. As with deposition of boron from decaborane, there is an activation barrier to dissociation of diethylcarborane on Si (111). The composition of the growing film, as determined by the boron to carbon ratio, is strongly dependent upon the boron concentration at the surface of the substrate. The boron concentration of the film increases with increasing film thickness.Part one appeared in [1]     

Thermionic emission properties of LaB6 and CeB6 in connection with their surface states,examination by XPS,Auger spectroscopy and the Kelvin method

The surface of the thermionic emitters LaB₆ and CeB₆ was investigated as a function of temperature by means of XPS, Auger electron spectrosopy and the Kelvin method. The hexaborides are sensitive to oxidation at room temperature, a thin layer of rare earth oxide and boron oxide having been detected at their surfaces. This study has shown the influence of surface carbon on the Auger line intensities of lanthanum and boron in the case of LaB₆. A surface cleaning by ionic bombardment leads to a preferential erosion of the rare earth with respect to boron. One may conclude that the emission mechanism in hexaborides is an intrinsic property of the material. The hypothesis previously proposed by other authors, that the low work function may be due to the presence of a layer of rare earth metal on the LaB₆ substrate was not confirmed.     

Clustering effects in optical properties of BGaAs/GaAs epilayers

We report on the further investigation of the effect of boron incorporation on GaAs grown at 580 °C temperature on GaAs (0 0 1) substrate by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) has been used to determine the lattice mismatch and to estimate the boron concentration. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence has been carried out to investigate B_xGa_1−xAs/GaAs epilayers with varied boron composition (x=1.64% and 3.04%). Low temperature (10 K) PL study has shown an asymmetric and broad PL band around 1.3 eV of the emission energies with a decrease of the PL intensity with increasing boron composition. The evolution of the emission energies with temperature can be described by Varshni law for the high temperature range (T?120 and 80 K) for boron composition x=1.64% and 3.04%, respectively, while a relative discrepancy has been found to occur at low temperature. Moreover, depending on the temperature range, the PL intensity quenching is found to be thermally ensured by three activation energies. These results are attributed to the localized states induced by the non-uniform insertion of boron and the clustering of the boron atom in BGaAs bulk.     

Studies on the influence of surface pre-treatments on electroless copper coating of boron carbide particles

Boron carbide is one of the hard ceramic particles which find application as structural materials and neutron shielding material due to its high neutron capture cross section. Copper coating on boron carbide particle is essential for the synthesis of metal-ceramic composites with enhanced sinterability and dispersibility. Surface characteristics of the substrate and the coating parameters play a foremost role in the formation of effective electroless coating. The effect of surface pre-treatment conditions and pH on electroless copper coating of boron carbide particles has been studied. Surface pre-treatement of B₄C when compared to acid treated and alkali treated particles were carried out. Uniform copper coating was observed at pH 12 in alkali treated particles when compared to others due to the effective removal of inevitable impurities during the production and processing of commercially available B₄C. A threshold pH 11 was required for initiation of copper coating on boron carbide particles. The growth pattern of the copper coating also varies depending on the surface conditions from acicular to spherical morphology.     

Kinetics of the formation of Fe2B layers in gray cast iron: Effects of boron concentration and boride incubation time

The growth kinetics of Fe₂B layers formed at the surface of gray cast iron were evaluated in this study. The pack-boriding process was applied to produce the Fe₂B phase at the material surface, and the variables included three temperatures (1173, 1223 and 1273 K) and four exposure times (2, 4, 6 and 8 h). Taking into account the growth fronts obtained at the surface of the material and the mass balance equation at the Fe₂B/substrate interface, the boron diffusion coefficient on the borided phase was estimated for the range of treatment temperatures. Likewise the parabolic growth constant, the instantaneous velocity of the Fe₂B/substrate interface, and the weight gain in the borided samples were established as a function of the parameters τ(t) and α(C), which are related to the boride incubation time (t₀(T)) and boron concentration at the Fe₂B phase, respectively. Observation of the growth kinetics of the Fe₂B layers in gray cast irons suggest an optimum value of boron concentration that is in good agreement with the set of boriding experimental conditions used in this work.     

Effects of experimental parameters on composition of boron carbon nitride thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering

We have synthesized boron carbon nitride thin films by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The films structure and composition were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicate that the three elements of B, C, N are chemically bonded with each other and atomic-level hybrids have been formed in the films. The boron carbon nitride films prepared in the present experiment possess a disordered structure. The influence of PN₂/PN₂+Ar, total pressure and substrate bias voltage on the composition of boron carbon nitride films is investigated. The atomic fraction of C atoms increases and the fractions of B, N decrease with the decrease of PN₂/PN₂+Ar from 75% to 0%. There is an optimum total pressure. That is to say, the atomic fractions of B, N reach a maximum and the fraction of C atoms reaches a minimum at the total pressure of 1.3 Pa. The boron carbon nitride films exhibit lower C content and higher B, N contents at lower bias voltages. And the boron carbon nitride films show higher C content and lower B, N contents at higher bias voltages.     

Fluctuation conductivity in superconducting MgB2

According to the crystal structure of MgB₂ and band structure calculations, quasi-two-dimensional (2D) boron planes are responsible for the superconductivity. We report on critical-field and resistance measurements of 5.6-μm-thick MgB₂ films grown on a sapphire single-crystal substrate. Resistivity measurements yield a temperature dependence of the fluctuation conductivity above the critical temperature, which agrees with the Aslamazov-Larkin and Maki-Thompson theory of fluctuations in layered superconductors, indicating a quasi-two-dimensional nucleation of superconductivity in MgB₂.     

Properties of boron and phosphorous incorporated tetrahedral amorphous carbon films grown using filtered cathodic vacuum arc process

This paper reports the electrical, mechanical, structural and field emission properties of as grown and also boron and phosphorous incorporated tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) films, deposited using a filtered cathodic vacuum arc process. The effect of varying boron and phosphorous content (up to 2.0 at.% in to ta-C) on the conductivity (σ_D), activation energy (ΔE₁), hardness, microstructure, emission threshold (E_turn-ON) and emission current density (J) at 12.5 V/μm of ta-C: B and ta-C: P films deposited at a high negative substrate bias of −300 V are reported. It is observed that both boron and phosphorous incorporation leads to a nearly an order increase in σ_D and corresponding decrease in ΔE₁ and a slight increase in hardness as compared to as grown ta-C films. In the case of field assisted electron emission, it is observed that E_turn-ON increases and J decreases. The changes are attributed to the changes in the sp³/sp² ratio of the films due to boron and phosphorous incorporation. The effect of boron on ta-C is to give a p-type effect whereas the effect of phosphorous gives n-type doping effect.     

Investigations of silicon nitride and boron carbide monolayers and Si<Subscript>3</Subscript>N<Subscript>4</Subscript>/B<Subscript>4</Subscript>C multilayers

Many different coating concepts for improving mechanical properties have been worked out. One of the advanced coating concepts is the multilayer and superlattice concept, mainly with one or two metallic components. Previous work has shown that the mechanical properties of the covalent-bonded Si₃N₄ and SiC could be improved when combining them in a multilayer system. In the present work the silicon nitride monolayer from the earlier work was combined with boron carbide instead of silicon carbide. First, the boron carbide thin films deposited at different substrate temperatures were examined. Then the number of monolayers in the multilayer system with a constant layer thickness was varied in order to investigate the influence of the interfaces on film properties of the multilayer system. PACS 81.05.Je; 81.15.Cd; 82.80.Pv; 87.64.Je     

脉冲直流偏压增强的高质量立方氮化硼薄膜的合成

采用磁增强活性反应离子镀系统成功地合成了立方氮化硼薄膜.通过给基片施加脉冲直流偏压以代替传统的射频偏压,增强了立方氮化硼的成膜稳定性,研究了基片的直流脉冲偏压、等离子体放电电流、通入气体流量比(Ar/N₂)和基片温度沉积参数对立方氮化硼薄膜形成的影响规律.结果表明:随着基片负偏压和放电电流的增大,薄膜中立方氮化硼的纯度提高,当基片负偏压为155V,放电电流为15A时,可获得几乎单相的立方氮化硼薄膜.基片温度为500℃和Ar/N₂流量比为10时,最有利于立方氮化硼 关键词： 立方氮化硼 活性反应离子镀 脉冲偏压     

Evaluation of boron mobility on the phases FeB, Fe2B and diffusion zone in AISI 1045 and M2 steels

The present study evaluates the growth kinetics of boride layers at the material surface on AISI 1045 and M2 steels during the paste boriding process. This surface hardening technique produces on the material two characteristic phases FeB, Fe₂B and a transition zone, denominated diffusion zone, in the layer/substrate interface. The thermochemical treatment was done at three different temperatures: 1193, 1223 and 1273 K with two treatment times: 2 and 6 h for the 1045 steel, and 1223, 1253 and 1273 K with the same treatment times for M2 steel, modifying the boron potentials in equilibrium at the substrates surfaces. Using the mass balance equation, and assuming a linear concentration profile at the interfaces, the mobility of boron was determined on both types of steels. The influence of boron potential, treatment time and temperatures is clearly observed on the growth kinetics of boride layers.     

Influence of boron carbide on properties of CVD-diamond thin films at various deposition pressures

Microcrystalline boron-doped diamond (BDD) films are synthesized on the silicon substrate by the hot-filament chemical vapor deposition method under the gas mixture of hydrogen and methane in the presence of boron carbide (B₄C) placed in front of filaments. The observed results of scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction show the morphologies. Microstructures for various deposition pressures of as-grown diamond films are found to be dependent on the change of deposition pressure. These results reveal that with the increase of deposition pressure, resistivity decreases and increase in the grain size is noted in the presence of B₄C. Resistivity shows a sudden fall of about three orders of magnitude by the addition of boron in the diamond films. This is due to the crystal integrity induced by B-atoms in the structure of diamond in the presence of B₄C. These results are also significant for the conventional applications of BDD materials. The effects of deposition pressure on the overall films morphology and the doping level dependence of the diamond films have also been discussed.     

Photoconductivity in ion-implanted thin films of Si:In and Si:Tl

The extrinsic photoconductivity of Si:In and Si:Tl is studied on ion-implanted thin films. Additional boron implants are used to compensate the phosphorus substrate doping for obtaining high photocurrents. The spectral photocurrent response and ionisation energies determined are identical in the implanted film and in bulk wafers. The ionisation energiesE _In=157±2 meV andE _Tl=252±2 meV are obtained by a novel evaluation which excludes photothermal excitation via exited bound states.     

Influence of growth duration on size and morphology of boron nitride nanotubes grown via chemical vapor deposition technique

Boron nitride nanotubes are synthesized on Si substrate via a chemical vapor deposition technique with different growth durations. Field emission scanning electron microscopy micrographs show a clear influence of growth duration on size and morphology of the synthesized nanotubes. It reveals that the diameter of the tubes decreases and length increases with an increase in growth duration. Total diameter of the tube has been reduced up to 31% and length increased up to 30% with an increase of 20 min growth duration. As a result, morphology of nanotubes has also been changed from curve like to straight. Transmission electron microscope confirms the tubular structure of the synthesized nanotubes with an interlayer spacing of 0.34 nm that corresponds to d₍₀₀₂₎ plane of hexagonal boron nitride and its crystalline nature. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicates the presence of magnesium particles in the synthesized samples that refers to its catalytic growth. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the elemental compositions of the sample. Raman spectra reveal a peak shift of 5.48 cm⁻¹ towards higher region of wavelength that corresponds to E_2g mode of vibration in hexagonal boron nitride. This result also confirms the structural change in the synthesized boron nitride nanotubes with respect to the growth duration.     

Effect of substrate position on the morphology of boron products by laser ablation

Single-crystalline boron nanobelts having rectangular cross sections with an -tetragonal structure and polycrystalline -rhombohedral boron films were fabricated using a laser ablation technique in a quartz glass tube chamber. The obtained products strongly depended on substrate position. The major products were boron nanobelts when the substrate was situated at the bottom of the tube with the pressure below 50 Pa in the temperature range from 700 °C to 900 °C. The boron product on a substrate at a side position in the tube always had a film morphology. The crystal structures of the obtained boron films, however, were amorphous under the conditions where nanobelts were observed. The products became well crystallized at pressures of 50 to 100 Pa at 900 °C. PACS 81.07.Bc; 81.15.Fg; 81.16.Mk; 79.20.Ds     

Simulation of range profiles for boron implantation into SiO2/Si and Si3N4/SiO2/Si targets

The simple method of profile combination is shown to be applicable to the simulation of boron profiles in SiO₂/Si and Si₃N₄/Si layered targets. This is demonstrated by comparison with range distributions calculated by more sophisticated theoretical methods, i.e. TRIM Monte Carlo simulations and the algorithm of Christel et al., and with experimental data. The method of profile combination can also be applied to layered targets with a crystalline silicon substrate.     

Correlation between impurities in Fe-Si amorphous layers synthesized by Fe implantation and photoluminescence property of β-FeSi2 precipitates in Si

Completely amorphous Fe-Si layers are formed by Fe implantation into Si substrate at a dosage of 5×10¹⁵ cm⁻² using a metal vapor vacuum arc (MEVVA) ion source under 80 kV extraction voltage and cryogenic temperature. After thermal annealing, β-FeSi₂ precipitates are formed in Si matrix. The influence of impurities in these amorphous Fe-Si layers on the photoluminescence (PL) from β-FeSi₂ precipitates is investigated. PL is found to be significantly enhanced by optimizing the impurity concentration and annealing scheme. After 60 s of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at 900 °C, β-FeSi₂ precipitates in medium boron-doped Si substrate give the strongest PL intensity without boron out-diffusion from them.     

Deposition of large-area, high-quality cubic boron nitride films by ECR-enhanced microwave-plasma CVD

Large-area, 1-μm-thick cubic boron nitride (cBN) films were deposited on (001) silicon substrates by electron-cyclotron-resonance-enhanced microwave-plasma chemical vapor deposition (ECR-MP CVD) in a mixture of He-Ar-N₂-BF₃-H₂ gases. With the assistance of fluorine chemistry in the gas phase and substrate reactions, the phase purity of the sp³-configuration was improved to over 85% at a reduced substrate bias voltage of -40 V. The grown films show clear Raman transversal optical (TO) and longitudinal optical (LO) phonon vibration modes, characteristic of cBN. Such Raman spectral characteristics are the first ever observed in cBN films prepared under ECR-MP CVD conditions. Received: 3 May 2002 / Accepted: 7 May 2002 / Published online: 22 November 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +852-2788/7830, E-mail: apwjzh@cityu.edu.hk     

Influence of oxygen on the growth of cubic boron nitride thin films by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition

Cubic boron nitride thin films were deposited on silicon substrates by low-pressure inductively coupled plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. It was found that the introduction of O₂ into the deposition system suppresses both nucleation and growth of cubic boron nitride. At a B₂H₆ concentration of 2.5\% during film deposition, the critical O₂ concentration allowed for the nucleation of cubic boron nitride was found to be less than 1.4\%, while that for the growth of cubic boron nitride was higher than 2.1\%. Moreover, the infrared absorption peak observed at around 1230--1280~cm^-1, frequently detected for cubic boron nitride films prepared using non-ultrahigh vacuum systems, appears to be due to the absorption of boron oxide, a contaminant formed as a result of the oxygen impurity. Therefore, the existence of trace oxygen contamination in boron nitride films can be evaluated qualitatively by this infrared absorption peak.