Cubic boron nitride preparation utilizing nitrogen gas

Claim 1

A method for depositing cubic boron nitride on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) heating a supported substrate in a vacuum; (b) supplying metal vapors into a zone between said substrate and a metals source, said source comprising a material selected from the broup consisting of: boron, boron and a material selected from the group consisting of the elements chromium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, a metal alloy consisting essentially of from 0.1 weight percent to 5.0 weight percent of at least one of the elements chromium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, the balance being boron, and a metal alloy consisting essentially of at least 60 percent by weight to the balance of boron with from 0.2 to 12 percent by weight of aluminum, and at least 0.2 to 24 percent by weight of at least one of cobalt, nickel, manganese, or other aluminide-forming element; (c) introducing nitrogen gas into said zone; (d) generating an electrical field in said zone ionizing the metal vapors and gas atoms in the zone; and (e) maintaining an electrically negative bias impressed on said substrate depending upon the process employed and in accordance with the following schedule: ______________________________________ Process Bias Voltage ______________________________________ Reactive Evaporation -500 to -3000 volts (Electron Beam) Reactive Sputtering (DC) -200 to -3000 volts Reactive Sputtering (RF) -100 to -3000 volts Reactive Sputtering (Magnetron) -500 to -3000 volts Arc Discharge -20 to -2000 volts ______________________________________ whereby cubic boron nitride is deposited on the surface of said substrate.

Claim 2

A method for depositing cubic boron nitride on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) heating a supported substrate in a vacuum; (b) supplying metal vapors into a zone between said substrate and a metals source, said source comprising a material selected from the broup consisting of: boron, boron and a material selected from the group consisting of the elements chromium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, a metal alloy consisting essentially of from 0.1 weight percent to 5.0 weight percent of at least one of the elements chromium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, the balance being boron, and a metal alloy consisting essentially of at least 60 percent by weight to the balance of boron with from 0.2 to 12 percent by weight of aluminum, and at least 0.2 to 24 percent by weight of at least one of cobalt, nickel, manganese, or other aluminide-forming element; (c) introducing nitrogen gas into said zone; (d) generating an electrical field in said zone ionizing the metal vapors and gas atoms in the zone; and (e) maintaining an electrically negative bias impressed on said substrate depending upon the process employed and in accordance with the following schedule: ______________________________________ Process Bias Voltage ______________________________________ Reactive Evaporation -500 to -3000 volts (Electron Beam) Reactive Sputtering (DC) -200 to -3000 volts Reactive Sputtering (RF) -100 to -3000 volts Reactive Sputtering (Magnetron) -500 to -3000 volts Arc Discharge -20 to -2000 volts ______________________________________ whereby cubic boron nitride is deposited on the surface of said substrate.