Laser‐Assisted Atomic Layer Deposition of Boron Nitride Thin Films

Boron nitride thin films have been grown by both laser‐assisted, and conventional atomic layer deposition (LALD/ALD) at temperatures in the range 250–750 °C. Both the NH3 and BBr3 precursors were appreciably dissociated by the ArF excimer laser, and up to 600 °C, the growth rate was 100 % higher for the LALD process than for ALD. The films consisted of hydrogen‐terminated turbostratic BN grains. H2 was theoretically found to bind as strongly as BBrX and NHX (X = 0–2) to hBN(100) edges. The fresh films were stoichiometric with respect to B and N, and contained low degrees of contamination, but oxidized easily in air.