The Effect of Boron on the Structure and Conductivity of Thin Films Obtained by Laser Ablation of Diamond with Deposition at 700°C

Abstract

Structural features of CB_x films obtained by pulsed laser ablation of targets made of pressed diamond powder with boron-powder additions at B/C atomic ratio of x = 0.33 have been studied. The films were deposited on heated substrates, so that diffusion processes involving C and B atoms on the surface and in the volume of films were possible. Selected conditions of film deposition ensured their effective doping with boron (0.4 ≤ x ≤ 0.6). The incorporation of B atoms was accompanied by the formation of B–C chemical bonds, whereas the formation of sp² graphite bonds and their ordering in clusters with laminar packing was suppressed. The films possessed very low resistivity (~1.4 mΩ cm) at room temperature and exhibited metallic type of conductance on decreasing the temperature to 77 K.