Cubic boron nitride preparation utilizing a boron and nitrogen bearing gas

Claim 1

A method for depositing cubic boron nitride on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) heating a supported substrate in a vacuum; (b) supplying metal vapors from a metals source by a process of reactive evaporation or reactive sputtering or arc discharge into a zone between said substrate and the metals source, said source consisting of one or more metals selected from the group consisting of the elements chromium, nickel, cobalt, aluminum and manganese; (c) introducing nitrogen and boron containing gas selected from the group consisting of borazene, a mixture of diborane and nitrogen, and a mixture of boron trichloride and ammonia into said zone; (d) generating an electrical field in said zone for ionizing the metal vapors and gas atoms in the zone; and (e) maintaining an electrically negative bias impressed on said substrate depending upon the process employed in step (b) and in accordance with the following schedule: ______________________________________ Process Bias Voltage ______________________________________ Reactive Evaporation -500 to -1000 volts (Electron Beam) Reactive Sputtering (DC) -200 to -3000 volts Reactive Sputtering (RF) -100 to -3000 volts Reactive Sputtering (Magnetron) -500 to -3000 volts Arc Discharge -20 to -2000 volts ______________________________________ whereby cubic boron nitride is deposited on the surface of said substrate.

Claim 2

A method for depositing cubic boron nitride on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) heating a supported substrate in a vacuum; (b) supplying metal vapors from a metals source by a process of reactive evaporation or reactive sputtering or arc discharge into a zone between said substrate and the metals source, said source consisting of one or more metals selected from the group consisting of the elements chromium, nickel, cobalt, aluminum and manganese; (c) introducing nitrogen and boron containing gas selected from the group consisting of borazene, a mixture of diborane and nitrogen, and a mixture of boron trichloride and ammonia into said zone; (d) generating an electrical field in said zone for ionizing the metal vapors and gas atoms in the zone; and (e) maintaining an electrically negative bias impressed on said substrate depending upon the process employed in step (b) and in accordance with the following schedule: ______________________________________ Process Bias Voltage ______________________________________ Reactive Evaporation -500 to -1000 volts (Electron Beam) Reactive Sputtering (DC) -200 to -3000 volts Reactive Sputtering (RF) -100 to -3000 volts Reactive Sputtering (Magnetron) -500 to -3000 volts Arc Discharge -20 to -2000 volts ______________________________________ whereby cubic boron nitride is deposited on the surface of said substrate.