One-dimensional structure of boron nitride on chromium (1 1 0) – a study of the growth of boron nitride by chemical vapour deposition of borazine

The nucleation and growth of boron nitride films on a chromium (1 1 0) surface by thermal decomposition of borazine (HBNH)3 was investigated by low energy electron diffraction (LEED), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD). The boron nitride film forms a chemically non-uniform one-dimensional superstructure with short range order along the [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] direction and long range order along [0 0 1]. Moreover, the thermal stability of the resulting BN film was investigated and a chemical reaction with the substrate was observed leading to the formation of Cr–B– and Cr–N– bonds at the interface and indicating the onset of the formation of hard boride and nitride phases in the system Cr–B–N.