Characterization of Boron Coatings Produced by RF Planar Magnetron Sputtering
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Boron coatings were deposited by RF magnetron sputtering in an Ar atmosphere at a constant power of 80 W, varying the working pressure in the 0.6–5 Pa range. Plasma diagnostics were performed by means of a Langmuir probe to determine the electron temperature and electron density under different operating conditions. Within the investigated pressure range, the deposition rate remained nearly constant, whereas a significant decrease in coating mass density was observed with increasing pressure. The coatings display a columnar structure at all investigated pressures, with no significant differences in bulk morphology. Pressure primarily affects the surface features, leading to an increase in the density, lateral dimensions, and height of surface agglomerates with increasing pressure. Compositional analysis by EDX revealed a substantial oxygen incorporation in the films, with the lowest oxygen content (~11 at.%) measured for the coating deposited at 0.6 Pa. XPS depth profiling confirmed the presence of oxygen and evidenced the formation of boron oxide species, while the boron concentration exceeded 80 at.% in all samples. These results highlight the strong sensitivity of boron film density and oxygen uptake to sputtering pressure.
Source: Surfaces
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanics of Materials
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,930
OpenAlex ID: W7140836257