Hexagonal nano-crystalline BCN films grown on Si (100) substrate studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Mannan, M. A.*; Baba, Yuji  ; Hirao, Norie; Kida, Tetsuya*; Nagano, Masamitsu*; Noguchi, Hideyuki*

Hexagonal nano-crystalline boron carbonitride (h-BCN) films grown on Si (100) substrate have been investigated. The films were synthesized by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using tris-dimethylamino borane as a precursor. Formation of the nano-crystalline h-BCN compound has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The films composed of B, C, and N atoms with different B-N, B-C, C-N chemical bonds in forming the sp2-BCN atomic configuration studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Orientation and local structures of the h-BCN hybrid were studied by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) measurements. The dominant presence of and resonance peaks of the sp2-hybrid orbitals in the B K-edge NEXAFS spectra revealed the formation of the flat sp2-BCN configuration around B atoms which are bound with three nitrogen atoms.