RETRACTED: Exploration of Growth Window for Phase-Pure Cubic Boron Nitride Films Prepared in a Pure N2 Plasma

Abstract

Cubic boron nitride (c-BN) films were prepared via radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering from a hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) target in a pure N2 plasma. The composition and microstructure morphology of the BN films with different deposition times under pure N2 plasma or mixed Ar/N2 plasma were investigated with respect to the nucleation and growth processes. The pure-phase c-BN growth window was obtained using pure N2 gas. The effects of pure N2 gas on the growth mechanism, structural morphology, and internal compressive stress of the as-synthesized c-BN films were studied. Using pure N2 gas instead of additional Ar resulted in improved microstructure quality and much reduced compressive stress, suggesting a fundamental strategy for achieving high-quality c-BN films.

Surface protection of SS-316L with boron nitride based thin films using radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique

“…Thin films are often hetero-artificial materials formed by one of many deposition methods on a substrate, as reported by Bello et al [1]. The term coating often refers to paints like varnishes or enamels, but also the films used typical engineering applications like machine tools and automotive parts as protective coatings [2]. Metal coatings are generally used to protect the surface of the material from corrosion [3][4].…”

“…The films produced with pure Ar ion bombardment have low peak frequencies. The fact that the high cubic content BN films created by Ar as a reactive gas frequently delaminated in the air has been reported [11]. In the cubic boron nitride thin film development; so far there have been numerous significant concerns [12].…”

Target Voltage Hysteresis Behavior and Control Point in the Preparation of Aluminum Oxide Thin Films by Medium Frequency Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

“…Reactive magnetron sputtering is realized in magnetron sputtering with a reactive gas (such as oxygen or nitrogen) introduced into the vacuum chamber, in addition to an inert working gas [8][9][10][11][12]. There are several reactive magnetron sputtering techniques, i.e., direct current reactive magnetron sputtering (DCRMS) [10], pulsed reactive magnetron sputtering (PMS) [11], radio frequency reactive magnetron sputtering (RFRMS) [12] and medium frequency reactive magnetron sputtering (MFRMS) [9], which are ordered according to the frequency of the power supply of the sputtering target.…”

“…There are several reactive magnetron sputtering techniques, i.e., direct current reactive magnetron sputtering (DCRMS) [10], pulsed reactive magnetron sputtering (PMS) [11], radio frequency reactive magnetron sputtering (RFRMS) [12] and medium frequency reactive magnetron sputtering (MFRMS) [9], which are ordered according to the frequency of the power supply of the sputtering target. The disadvantages of DCRMS are target poisoning and arc problems, and the prepared films often have large embedded particles, which renders the deposition processes hard to control and reproduce [13]; the demerits of RFRMS are the high-cost of equipment and low deposition rates [14]; thus neither of these two techniques is suitable for the preparation of high quality thin films and coatings at an industrial level.…”

RETRACTED: Gao et al. Exploration of Growth Window for Phase-Pure Cubic Boron Nitride Films Prepared in a Pure N2 Plasma. Coatings 2018, 8, 82

“…The published article [1] has been retracted at the request of the corresponding author due to a dispute regarding the authorship of the paper. Unfortunately, the dispute could not be settled via a change of the authorship and an additional eligible author did not agree to the publication of the paper in its current form.…”