Surface modification of boron nitride in hydrogen plasma

Abstract The state of the surface of poorly crystallized or amorphous (a-BN) and highly oriented hexagonal (h-BN) boron nitride before and after treatment in a hydrogen plasma has been studied by high-resolution Auger electron spectroscopy. Treatment of both modifications of BN in hydrogen plasma is found to lead to a partial transformation of sp 2 bonds into sp 3 bonds on the surface. This is thought to be a result of terminating dangling bonds of sp 2 -hybridized BN by hydrogen atoms. The formation of chemical NH bonds after treatment of BN in hydrogen plasma is found on the surface of both a-BN and h-BN, whereas in practice, BH bonds appear to form only on the treated surface of h-BN.