Investigation of BCN Films Deposited at VarioushboxN₂/hboxArFlow Ratios by DC Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

In this paper, boron carbonitride films were deposited by a dc reactive unbalanced magnetron sputtering of conductivehboxB₄hboxCtarget in a mixture gas of nitrogen and argon. The films with various content of N were obtained by a varyinghboxN₂/hboxArflow ratio in the mixed gas from 0/100 to 30/100. Structures and compositions of the films were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the content of B, C, N, and the ratio of each element binding states depend on the ratio ofhboxN₂/hboxArflow. The nitrogen content showed the rising tendency and then came to the saturation stage with an increasinghboxN₂/hboxArflow ratio. The maximal N content of 33.1 at.% was obtained whenhboxN₂/hboxArflow ratio was 30/100. Nitrogen in the film is prior to binding with B forminghboxsp²B–N bond, and then with C forminghboxsp²C–N bond, when thehboxN₂/hboxArratio is over a certain value during the nitrogen was introduced into a vacuum chamber. The results of the FTIR indicate that the film is a compound of B–C–N atomic hybridization.