Preparation and Properties of Thin Film Boron Nitride

Clear, vitreous films of boron nitride up to 6000Aå thick have been deposited on a variety of substrates at 600 °–1000 °C by a reaction between diborane and ammonia in hydrogen or inert carrier gas. Deposition rate may be readily adjusted to 50–1000 Aå/min. Most samples were made at either 600° or 800°, with some attendant variation in film properties. The 600° material contains some residual B‐H bonding. The film is essentially amorphous to electron diffraction. The refractive index is 1.7–1.8, the 1 MHz dielectric constant ∼ 3 1/2, the dielectric strength , and the The band gap is 3.8 ev and the phonon temperature in the neighborhood of 2000°K. For semiconductor junction protection boron nitride has no advantage over silicon nitride. 600° deposition directly on Si has produced surface charges as low as , but there are room‐temperature drifts, and high‐field conduction also. BN deposited at 800° on Si is electrically similar to silicon nitride. Etching of BN film also presents the same problems as does silicon nitride. BN is not as good a barrier against sodium ion permeation. Attack by atmospheric moisture over a long period has varied from insignificant to extensive conversion to orthoboric acid.