Plasma-assisted CVD of cubic boron nitride

Single-phase cubic boron nitride films of high quality might be of great importance as superhard wear-resistant coatings and semiconductive materials. This paper reviews deposition techniques, precursors, deposition parameters and substrates employed in plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) of cubic boron nitride (c-BN) as well as procedures applied for the characterization of c-BN-containing films. Mechanisms of the formation of sp(3)-hybridized boron nitride during PACVD by use of either high-energy nitrogen and argon ions or hydrogen plasmas are discussed. All experimental results on PACVD of c-BN are thought to fit either ''physical'' or ''chemical'' routes for c-BN low-pressure synthesis, which are based on principles of c-BN physical vapor deposition or diamond CVD.