Surface modification of boron nitride in hydrogen plasma

The state of the surface of poorly crystallized or amorphous a-BN.and highly oriented hexagonal h-BN.boron nitride before and after treatment in a hydrogen plasma has been studied by high-resolution Auger electron spectroscopy. Treatment of both modifications of BN in hydrogen plasma is found to lead to a partial transformation of sp2 bonds into sp3 bonds on the surface. This is thought to be a result of terminating dangling bonds of sp2-hybridized BN by hydrogen atoms. The formation of chemical N`H bonds after treatment of BN in hydrogen plasma is found on the surface of both a-BN and h-BN, whereas in practice, B`H bonds appear to form only on the treated surface of h-BN. q2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved