N2 plasma etching processes of microscopic single crystals of cubic boron nitride. (2nd May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tamura, Takahiro; Takami, Takuya; Yanase, Takashi; Nagahama, Taro; Shimada, Toshihiro
• Is Part Of: Japanese journal of applied physics. Volume 56:Number 6(2017)Supplement 2
• Publication Date: 2017-05-02
• Subjects: Physics -- Periodicals; 621.05
• DOI: 10.7567/JJAP.56.06HF01
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-4922

Abstract

Abstract: We studied the N2 plasma etching of cubic boron nitride (cBN). We have developed experimental techniques for handling 200-µm-size single crystals for the preparation of surfaces with arbitrary crystal indexes, plasma processes, and surface analyses. We successfully prepared smooth surfaces of cBN with roughness smaller than 10 nm and found that the etching behavior was strongly influenced by the surface indexes. The morphology of the etched surfaces can be explained by the chemical stability of (111)B surfaces.