Well-orientated cubic boron nitride nanocrystals as studied by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy

In a boron nitride thin film, grown on a Si (100) substrate by radio frequency magnetron sputtering, a striking nanostructure is observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It consists of cubic boron nitride nanocrystals with a rather good triangular shape, pointing always to the substrate. The nanocrystals are usually highly defected and present their own interesting internal structure. Texture formation is observed within a nanocrystal, with all the subgrains observed to have a common <011> axis, which is also approximately parallel to a <011> axis of the Si substrate, i.e. the nanocrystals are very well structurally orientated in relation to the Si substrate (self-organized). Dislocations and stacking faults are also found in the nanocrystals.