BCN coatings by RF PACVD at low temperature

Transparent and hard BCN films were deposited on polycarbonate and silicon wafer by means of different radio frequency plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition conditions (inductively coupled and capacitively coupled RF PACVD), which used two liquid organic compounds, N,N′,N″-trimethylborazine [(CH3)3N3B3H3, TMB] and (N-pyrrolidino)diethylborane (C8H18BN; PEB) as precursors. The mechanical and optical properties of BCN films deposited were characterised by nanoindentation, ellipsometry and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy. The chemical composition of BCN films was determined by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA). The influence of the plasma parameters on the mechanical and optical properties of films is described. Hard and transparent BCN films with low refractive index were deposited by means of an IC RF PACVD process, through low-energy and high-density ion bombardment.