title: Cubic phase content and structure of BN films from an X-ray absorption study.
abstract: X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) was used to study the cubic boron nitride (c-BN) content in the BN films deposited on various substrates by different physical vapor deposition or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition methods. By fitting the XANES curves of thin-film samples using standard spectra of pure c-BN and sp(2)-bonded BN in the films with suitable weight factors, the c-BN contents at the film's surface region and across the film's thickness have been determined quantitatively. The results agree well with the previous transmission electron microscopic observations. The method is proved to be independent of the optical properties of thin film and provides a possibility to evaluate the cubic content of BN films accurately.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B7. xzhou44@uwo.ca
authors.forename: Xingtai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Tsun-Kong
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Sham
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chit-Yiu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bello
authors.forename: Shui-Tong
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hofsäss