Effect of Ion Flux Variation in DC Magnetron Sputtering on the Deposition of Cubic Boron Nitride Film

Cubic boron nitride (cBN) thin films were deposited using DC magnetron sputtering, and the effect of the ion flux on the deposition behavior and residual stress of the cBN thin films was investigated. To increase the ion flux, the magnetic force ratio of the central/peripheral permanent magnets inserted in the magnetron sputtering source was reduced. Due to the complementary relationship between ion flux and energy for cBN deposition, the critical bias voltage required for cBN nucleation decreased as the ion flux increased. The cBN content of the films was relatively higher under the deposition condition of the increased ion flux. This was interpreted to indicate the thinning of the intervening hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) layer formed prior to cBN nucleation. Comparing the compressive residual stress of the cBN films, the residual stress was relieved as the bias voltage decreased regardless of the ion flux. The increase in ion flux made it possible to deposit the cBN films at a low bias voltage, thereby depositing cBN films with lower residual stress. The results showed that reducing ion energy by increasing ion flux for cBN deposition is a promising method for depositing low-stress cBN thin film having thin intervening hBN layer.