Synthesis and characterization of oriented graphitelike B-C-N hybrid

In order to clarify the structure of graphitelike B-C-N hybrid thin films, borazine (B3N3H6) ion plasma was implanted in highly oriented pyrolytic graphite at 800 degrees C and room temperature. The films were characterized in situ by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) using linearly polarized synchrotron radiation. The XPS study suggested that B atoms in the deposited films display in a wide variety of chemical bonds, e.g., B-C, B-N, and B-C-N. In the polarization-dependent NEXAFS spectra at the B K edge, the resonance peaks from B 1s to both pi(*)-like and sigma(*)-like orbitals are clearly observed, which suggest the existence of sp(2) configuration around the boron atoms. On the basis of the graphitelike polarization dependencies observed in the B 1s ->pi(*) resonance peaks for B-C-N films deposited at 800 degrees C, we conclude that the highly oriented graphitelike B-C-N hybrids are stable at low boron content. (C) 2006 American Institute of Physics.