CHARACTERIZATION OF C-B-N SOLID-SOLUTIONS DEPOSITED FROM A GASEOUS-PHASE BETWEEN 900-DEGREES-C AND 1050-DEGREES-C

The composition, the structure, and some physical properties of boron-carbon-nitrogen solid solutions prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) have been investigated. Both crystalline films and amorphous granular materials resulting respectively from heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation were characterized by X-ray diffraction, XPS, RBS, and TEM. The compositions of these single-phase materials are gathered in two main domains located in the B/N > 1 part of the C-B-N composition diagram. It is stated that the carbon-rich domain results from structural disorder of an ideal C5B2N composition. The thermal behavior of these films indicates that no mass loss can be detected after 1 h at 1700-degrees-C but a graphitization and a formation of small amounts of B13C2 are observed. Density and preliminary electrical conductivity measurements were also performed.