PREPARATION OF BORON-NITRIDE FILMS BY REACTIVE SPUTTERING

Boron nitride films were deposited on silicon substrates by reactive sputtering in H//2/N//2 or He/N//2 discharge at the substrate temperature range of 298-1073 K. The films were investigated by infrared spectroscopy (IR), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The N/B ratio increased with increasing partial pressure of H//2 in H//2/N//2 discharge; such an effect did not occur in the He/N//2 discharge because of ionization. High pressure phases appeared at a substrate temperature above 873 K and the phase content increased in consequence of increasing the substrate temperature, rf power, working pressure, partial pressure of H//2 and substrate-target distance. These conditions either activate the surface of the growing film or decrease the deposition rate.