Cubic boron nitride (cBN) has strong potential for the applications in high-temperature and high-power electronics and deep ultraviolet devices due to its outstanding combined physical and chemical properties. P-type surface transfer doping of heteroepitaxial cBN films was achieved by employing MoO3 and tetrafluoro-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) as the surface dopants. The surface conductivities of hydrogenated cBN films increased by 3–6 orders after the deposition of surface dopants. The photoemission spectroscopy (PES) measurements revealed the variation of electronic structures at the interface regions, which suggested that the electron transfer from cBN films to the surface dopants induced hole accumulation at the cBN surface and the increase of surface conductivity. Based on the PES results, the energy level diagrams at MoO3/cBN and F4-TCNQ/cBN interfaces were determined. The achievement provided a potential approach for fabricating cBN-based electronic devices, especially on micrometer and nanom...

Surface Transfer Doping of Cubic Boron Nitride Films by MoO3 and Tetrafluoro-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ).

Cubic boron nitride (c-BN) has been deposited on nitrogen-doped polycrystalline diamond films via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition employing fluorine chemistry. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were utilized to characterize the c-BN/diamond interface. TEM observations indicated local epitaxy of c-BN on diamond, while h-BN was also observed at the interface. XPS measurements indicated that c-BN growth continued after nucleation. The band offsets between c-BN and diamond were deduced from XPS measurements. The c-BN valence band maximum (VBM) was 0.8 ± 0.1 eV above the diamond VBM, which corresponded to the c-BN conduction band minimum (CBM) of 1.7 ± 0.1 eV above the diamond CBM. Comparison with offsets predicted by theoretical calculations suggests that a C-N interface was obtained.

Band offsets of epitaxial cubic boron nitride deposited on polycrystalline diamond via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Microstructure and tribological properties of cubic boron nitride films on Si3N4 inserts via boron-doped diamond buffer layers

Cutting performance of cubic boron nitride-coated tools in dry turning of hardened ductile iron

Biocompatible Cubic Boron Nitride: A Noncytotoxic Ultrahard Material

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) is structurally analogous to diamond, with similar or even superior properties for certain applications. Studies on the low-pressure synthesis of cBN films started around 1980. So far a variety of ion-assisted physical vapor deposition and chemical vapor deposition methods to deposit cBN films on various substrates have been developed. This chapter discusses the major issues hindering cBN films for practical applications, and reviews recent progress in the synthesis and characterization of cBN films, in particular, to increase film thickness, improving crystallinity, reducing residual stress, and enhancing adhesion to the substrates. The merits and demerits of different deposition techniques are discussed. Common features and differences in the structures and properties of cBN films deposited by different approaches are described. This chapter also summarizes up-to-date studies on the mechanical, electronic, optoelectronic, and optical properties of cBN films, and presents example applications of cBN films in cutting tools, deep-ultraviolet detectors, and chemical and biological sensors.

Bin He

Papers

3.24 – Cubic Boron Nitride Films: Properties and Applications