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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 March 2011
B-C-N films have been synthesized by an ion-beam-assisted depositiontechnique, in which boron and carbon were evaporated by electron beam and amixed nitrogen and argon ion beam was simulataneously irradiated ontosilicon (100) substrates. The ratio of argon ions to nitrogen ions wasvaried by the flow rate ratio of Ar and N2 gases fed into the ion source. Inthis experiment, the influence of the ratio on the mechanical properties andthe microstructure were investigated. Nano indentation studies show themaximum hardness up to 23 GPa at the gas ratio of 25.50 %. The filmsprepared under the appropriate conditions indicated low frictioncoefficients of 0.04-0.08 against a sapphire ball and excellent wearresistance. The existence of a cubic B-C-N like phase in the film, which hasbeen predicted as one of new hard materials, was revealed by variousmicro-structural analyses. It was concluded that the excellent mechanicalproperties prepared at the optimum gas ratio could be attributed to theappearnce of the new cubic like phase.