Properties of boron-carbon-nitrogen ternary thin films synthesized by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract

Boron-Carbon-Nitrogen BxCyNz thin films were deposited by excimer laser ablation of boron carbide (B4C) under nitrogen ion-beam bombardment. Thin films were deposited in the intersection of the ablated B-C plasma and nitrogen ion beam on the silicon substrates. The laser pulse energy was selected in the range of 30-100 mJ with pulse duration of 23 ns. The electronic and compositional properties of the deposited thin films were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman and infrared spectroscope, scanning tunneling microscopy and ellipsometry measurements. The influence of the ion beam bombardment on the optical, electrical and electronic properties of the deposited thin films was studied.