Thermodynamic Characterization of Volatile Alkylamine Boranes as Precursors for the Formation of BCxNy Films

Abstract

Tensimetric studies were carried out to determine temperature-dependent saturated vapor pressures and calculate thermodynamic characteristics of vaporization for R3N·BH3 (R = Me or Et) alkylamine boranes. These compounds have sufficient volatility and thermal stability to be used as precursors in vapor deposition processes to produce films based on phases of the B–C–N system. Triethylamine borane (TEAB) was used to synthesize boron carbonitride films at 773 and 873 K. The resulting layers were characterized by ellipsometry, atomic force and scanning electron microscopy, FTIR, Raman, and energy dispersive spectroscopies. The conditions for the production of continuous homogeneous films consisting of nanoparticles 20–60 nm in size aggregated into larger pseudohexagonal particles were determined. The surfaces of the films have an average and root mean square roughness, equal to 0.8 and 1.0 nm, respectively.