Elaboration and quantitative investigation of BCN-type films by dynamic SIMS using the MCs_x⁺ mode

A quantitative SIMS approach using MCs mode has been tested on boron carbonitride type films (BCN). Thick amorphous BC N films of different stoichiometries (0.46 ≤ x ≤ 0.68; 0.07 ≤ y ≤ 0.43; 0.01 ≤ z ≤ 0.26), deposited by thermal chemical vapour deposition, were used as standard samples to establish calibration curves between secondary ion intensities derived from in-depth secondary ion mass spectroscopy analyses and compositions determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The matrix intensity ratios I(CCs )/I(BCs) and I(CCs)/I(BCs ) appear linear with the concentration ratios C :C; ratios of I(NCs)/I(BCs) and I(NCs)/I(BCs) appear linear with the concentration ratio C:C as well. These calibration curves allow the quantification of matrix species in BCN films, in the range of studied stoichiometries and can be employed for compositional determination of unknown BCN films.