Effect of deposition temperature on boron-doped carbon coatings deposited from a BCl3–C3H6–H2 mixture using low pressure chemical vapor deposition

A mixture of propylene, hydrogen and boron trichloride was used to fabricate boron-doped carbon coatings by using low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) technique. Effect of deposition temperature on deposition rate, morphologies, compositions and bonding states of boron-doped carbon coatings was investigated. Below 1273 K, the deposition rate is controlled by reaction dynamics. The deposition rate increases with increasing deposition temperature. The activation energy is 208.74 kJ/mol. Above 1273 K, the deposition rate decreases due to smaller critical radius rc and higher nuclei formation rate J with increasing temperature. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the structure changes from glass-like to nano-laminates with increasing deposition temperature. The boron concentration decreases with increasing deposition temperature, corresponding with increasing carbon concentration. The five types of bonding states are B–C, B-sub-C, BC2O, BCO2 and B–O. B-sub-C and BC2O are the main bonding states. The reactions are dominant at all temperatures, in which the B-sub-C and PyC are formed.