Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 February 2011
We report the successful growth of cubic boron nitride thin films on single crystal 100 silicon by using pulsed excimer laser ablation of a hexagonal boron nitride bulk target. Optical emission spectra were obtained during the film deposition giving insight into the deposition mechanism. The deposited films were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Auger electron microscopy. Regions of the films were found to exhibit epitaxy with the substrate.