Morphology and bonding measured from boron-nitride powders and films using near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure

Bonding in the hexagonal, cubic (zincblende). rhombohedral, and wurtzite phases of boron nitride was characterized using core-level photoabsorption. In the boron and nitrogen 1 s photoabsorption cross section we observed resonancesthat were unique to each of the phases and that were associated with the sp2or sp3bonding present. These spectroscopic standards were then used to characterize the bonding and morphology in an incoherent thin film of BN based on its core-level photoabsorption. The film studied had predominantly sp2(hexagonal-like) bonding with some evidence of sp3(cubic-phase) bonds. © 1994, American Vacuum Society. All rights reserved.