Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
Tetrahedrally coordinated phases of boron nitride (c-BN and w-BN) were produced by reactive sputtering. The structure of the films was investigated by XRD and TEM diffraction, and found to be poly cry stalline. Films with microhardness up to 3500kg/mm2 were deposited but some degradation over time has been observed. A model for the stabilization of the tetrahedral phases over the graphitic one is proposed.