Straightforward Deposition of Uniform Boron Nitride Coatings by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Boron nitride (BN) has a very high thermal conductivity and excellent thermal shock resistance. These properties make BN an important material for industrial applications involving surfaces in contact with molten metals. These applications require straightforward deposition methods that produce uniform BN coatings. Using borazine (B 3 N 3 H 6 ) as a precursor, we deposited BN coatings on silicon substrates by cold-wall chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The microstructure, composition, and morphology of the coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). These characterizations show that the BN coatings deposited are uniform, predominantly of hexagonal structure, and N-rich.