Abstract:
We have reported on the implantation of boron ion into hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) material to aid the
nucleation of cubic boron nitride nanocrystals (nc-BN).Single crystal h-BN was implanted with boron ion at
150 keV at fluences of the order of 1015 and 1017 ions/cm2 at room temperature. High Angle Annular Dark-Field
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HAADF-STEM) mapping showed a variation in image contrast in
samples irradiated to a fluence of 1 × 1015 ions/cm2
. As predicted by Stopping Range and Ions in Materials
(SRIM) calculations, the implanted region with the highest damage density appeared to have a bright contrast in
HAADF-STEM which represented the high density c-BN symmetry. High Resolution Transmission Electron
Microscopy (HRTEM) and electron diffraction measurements showed regions with nc-BN for samples implanted
with low fluences and amorphous BN after implantation with high fluences indicating a fluence-related phase
transition in BN. Raman spectroscopy showed the emergence of longitudinal optical frequency mode associated
with c-BN after implantation.
