One-dimensional structure of boron nitride on chromium (1Â 1Â 0) - a study of the growth of boron nitride by chemical vapour deposition of borazine

The nucleation and growth of boron nitride films on a chromium (1 1 0) surface by thermal decomposition of borazine (HBNH)3 was investigated by low energy electron diffraction (LEED), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD). The boron nitride film forms a chemically non-uniform one-dimensional superstructure with short range order along the [11¯0] direction and long range order along [0 0 1]. Moreover, the thermal stability of the resulting BN film was investigated and a chemical reaction with the substrate was observed leading to the formation of Cr-B- and Cr-N- bonds at the interface and indicating the onset of the formation of hard boride and nitride phases in the system Cr-B-N.