Synthesis and characterization of boron carbide films by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

The plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of boron carbide was investigated on quartz glass and alumina substrates from a gas mixture of BCl3, H-2, and CH4 in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) medium produced by a radio frequency (RF) discharged onto the gases passing through a tubular reactor under atmospheric pressure. A thin solid boron carbide coating with a gray color was deposited on both substrates. The results of XRD revealed that the major solid phase formed in the coating material was beta-rhombohedral B4C. The SEM analysis showed that the surface homogeneity increased with an increase in the exposure time, and different boron carbide structures were formed at different RF powers and exposure times.